Thornton 100 all out

Oxenhope 101-7

OXENHOPE grabbed a three-wicket win over Thornton in the Spenser Wilson Halifax League Premier Division.

Visitors Thornton won the toss and elected to bat on a perfect new pitch, making first use of the new electronic scoreboard.

An early injury to Liam Dyson brought Scott Malilinson into the attack after just three balls. He took two early wickets to halt an aggressive start from Ryan Brooksbank (21) and Nikki Hutchinson (21) who had moved the score quickly past 50.

Joel Fothergill bowled splendidly from the other end but was only rewarded with a single dismissal.

The opposition tactics of seeing off the limited seven-over spell from the young quick came unstuck, when fellow youngster Ben Howell replaced him and ripped out the rest of the team with a spectacular spell of accurate fast bowling, taking 6-14. His 15 league dismissals this year having come at a cost of fractionally over five runs per wicket.

Ross Soames with 27 was the third person to contribute to the score of just 100.

The home side's reply was equally stuttering with Bradley Wetherhead (4-44) taking four of the top order and with Liam Dyson running himself the score stood at a perilous 35-5.

Chris Kibble (21) and Joel Fothergill (17) steadied the ship with some sensible batting but they both went quickly after each other to re-ignite Thornton's hopes of a victory.

However, Bobby Fielding and Tom Marshall both reached double figures to secure a narrow victory.

Meanwhile, Oxenhope II slipped to a 100-run defeat on a rain-affected day at Great Horton Park Chapel.

Putting the home side into bat, there was early reward for Jonny Holden with two wickets before Sheraz Malik (52) and John Bavington (21) took a decisive hand in proceedings.

Anas Tanveer followed up his five wickets the previous week with three more for just 29 runs to give the visitors hope. But Mohammed Umar took control of the innings moving swiftly to 41 not out.

Luke Fleetwood restricted the total to just 178-8 with three late wickets.

Rain then intervened and the wicket proved a lot more difficult in the second innings.

Umar took full advantage reducing Oxenhope to 15-6 on his way to figures of 5-41.

Only four players (Jack Barker, James Marshall, Grahame Ellis and Spencer Hurd) reached double figures in a paltry total of just 78 - Jamil Aktar with three wickets the other key participant.