MATCH REPORT

In front of around 200 at Shelf Northowram Cricket Club, captain Liam Dyson won the toss and chose to bat. After the early loss of Jack Rothery, there were consistent partnerships throughout the innings, with Olly Lodge (30), Will North (26) and Matty Jackson (32) all getting starts in the top 6. The partnership between Jackson and Ben Gash was the backbone of the innings, taking the team from 105/4 to 172/5. A few quick wickets after that did put a bit of a dampener on things, but a cameo from Daniel Murgatroyd (17*) helped set a total of 206 off the full allotment of forty overs.

The Great Horton Park Chapel Cricket Club's response started similarly, with the loss of an early wicket to Murgatroyd (1/21). When Dyson came on he struck with two quick wickets, plus one from the ever dependable Rowan Schofield (1/25) left the Division 1 team at 47/4, and Golcar well on top. However, this final was never going to be so simple, and there was a quality partnership to take the reply to 111/5. At this point, Jack Rothery turned the game with a direct hit run out from mid-wicket to break the crucial partnership.

With another quick wicket leaving 90 to win with four wickets in hand, Golcar established the upper hand again, but the opposition captain was going to make the young lads work for the win. He batted through to the last over, making sure that there was still a chance, but tight overs from Dyson, who ended with 2/37, and Will North (2/17), plus crucial breakthroughs from Ethan Strother (2/27) meant that the run rate was becoming a real issue.

Just like the semi-final, Dyson turned to his chosen "closer", Joe Brook, to bowl the final overs from one end, and he came through with the goods. He went at just above run a ball, as the Great Horton required around 10 an over, before securing a wicket with the penultimate ball to seal a win and bowl the opposition out.