Mytholmroyd 184-9

Oxenhope 30 all out

OXENHOPE suffered their heaviest defeat for many a year at the hands of Mytholmroyd in Spenser Wilson Halifax League Premier Division.

The visitors batted first and Oxenhope's Liam Dyson and Joel Fothergill quickly had the openers back in the hutch.

The next five batsmen all made contributions, notable Tom Earle with 45 and Thomas Conway with 35, as they amassed a total of 184 in the full 45 overs, Dyson adding to his early strike to take 4-48.

The Oxenhope reply was woeful as they were dismissed for 30 in just 17 overs. Little else can be said other than Chris Kibble top scored again but only with 13, the next highest score being four.

For Mytholmroyd, Tufeeq Ahmed (17-5) and Amjid Azam (5-12) did their bowling averages no harm whatsoever.

Oxenhope now sit nine points clear of the relegation places with two games to go, but what games they are - Illingworth who are champions elect and Booth who have all but clinched the runners-up spot.

Meanwhile, in second string action between the two sides, a mixed up day at Mytholmroyd began with the visitors arriving to a lake on the top of the covers. Only four of the home team were present and little effort being made to get the game on.

The Oxenhope players led the efforts to get the pitch dried out and the game duly started with a 30-over match against an eight-man Mytholmroyd who put up a creditable batting performance, crafting 160-5 in the allotted overs.

Zahid Mahmood was the top scorer with 51 with the wickets being shared out among the Oxenhope bowlers.

In reply, Andrew Whitehead led from the top of the order, again striking 76 following on from the previous week's match-winning innings.

He was joined by James Marshall (25) to push the score along before Brendan Ellison showed a welcome return to form with 18 not out and Luke Fleetwood (13no) secured the points with just a couple of overs to spare.

Ibrar Farooq (3-30) bowled a good spell of quick bowling to make life difficult for the Oxenhope batting line-up.

It's any two from four at the bottom of the division with just eight points separating the four teams.