Wakefield Thornes open with victory as new signing Byron Boshoff is off to a flyer

Byron Boshoff, off and running with Wakefield Thornes.

In a close contest against Sheffield Collegiate the innings of new signing Byron Boshoff proved crucial as his 65 helped the Wakefield team to a 17-run success.

Thornes won the toss and elected to bat at Field Lane, in what is invariably a hard-fought fixture and South African professional Byron Boshoff made an impressive start to life with the Wakefield team with 65 off 54 balls, while the rest of his side’s early order struggled against the Collegiate attack.

Greg Wadsworth provided some lower order impetus, but after he fell to Shaaiq Choudhry for 26, Jamie Carrington mopped up the tail and the last four Thornes wickets fell for nine runs.

Chasing a comparatively modest target, Dan Priestley and Sam Hunt put on 66 for the opening wicket and at 129-4, with Priestley well set and Henry Eldred providing good support, Collegiate looked to be in the driving seat.

However, Matt Taylor had Eldred caught behind and Brad Green claimed four cheap scalps as Collegiate lost their last six wickets for 15 runs and fell 17 short.

This Saturday Thornes host Treeton in what is likely to be a big test.