Final hosts Bridge are keen to end cup misery
Bridge have an extra incentive to improve on that record of near misses this year. They will host the final on the first Sunday in August and will hope to follow in the footsteps of Copley, who won on home territory last year.
Opening batsman Tim Helliwell will miss the Warley game due to a family christening. “Even his dad (club president Tim snir) said he would have to go!” explained Smith.
Like most captains at this stage, Smith is dreaming of making it to the final.
“It would be nice just to get there, although if we did we would want to win it.
“We have always struggled with batting. But I am confident that if we can get it together we can go a long way.
“I’ve told the lads we don’t want to be doing jobs on cup final day -if that isn’t an incentive I don’t know what is.
“You have got to get five bowlers in the cup and they (Warley) have lost a few so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.”
The return to Bridge this season of former Yorkshire Academy, Woodlands, Hanging Heaton, Lightcliffe and Scholes batsman Nick Whitehill is one of the reasons for Bridge’s renewed optimism.
Whitehill’s ability has never been in question and Smith said the batsman, who has rejoined brother Chris at Bridge, had shown a similar level of desire this season.
Three trips to the crease have produced three half-centuries for Nick, who has an average of 215 so far.
Smith said: “He has looked a million dollars.”
The captain is also enthusiastic about the club’s young talent, which has been supplemented by teenage batsman Lewis Mattock, who impressed in last year’s Sunday Section final.
Smith said: “He has a good temperament, a good technique and it is only a matter of time before he gets runs.”
Promising all-rounder Liam Turner has joined from Triangle and 17-year-old Shahzaibe Rauf, an unorthodox Malinga-style bowler, is rising through the Bridge ranks.
League side bowler Sam Mellor is now free of the bowling restrictions and spinner Omar Hussain, a recruit from Blackley, is “knocking on door” for first team selection according to Smith.
There are a couple of key absentees. Long-serving bats- man Paul Gledhill has vision problems while Steve Shannon’s appearances on a Saturday have been reduced by new work patterns as a postman.
Bridge’s bright start to the season has comprised wins over Southowram and SBCI before a washout against Copley.
Smith added: “We’re not getting ahead of ourselves.
“We have a run of games coming up against ‘ Royd, Booth and Jer Lane and that should tell us where we’re at.” Division Two trio Clayton, Upper Hopton and Outlane all managed wins on a soggy, cold Saturday in the Foster’s Halifax League.
Several games failed to start and others were abandoned but the three successful sides, their opponents and the umpires stuck it out.
Clayton and league newcomers Upper Hopton were getting off the mark for the season at the third attempt while Outlane climbed to third place with their second win.
Clayton’s visitors Shelf made 195 for nine, after being 124 for eight, but Adnan Shafique’s unbeaten 60 and 30 not out from Joe Selby saw the home side to a four-wicket win.
Robert Gamble’s 88 helped Great Horton PC to 182 but a lengthy rain break left Upper Hopton needing little more than 100 off a reduced amount of overs.
They scrambled home with two wickets to spare after Baber Yaqoob had taken four for 23.
Chris Betts led the way with 53 as Greetland posted 244 at home to Outlane.
The visitors were up to the task, however, thanks to second wicket pair Chris Brook and Lee Mellor.
Mellor hit 70 while Brook saw Outlane through to victory with 13 fours and six sixes in an unbeaten 109 as Outlane won by seven wickets in only 31 overs.
There were no reports of any first team matches in the higher two divisions getting past the half-way mark.
Four wickets apiece for Naser Chowdrey and Simon Collins helped champions Jer Lane dismiss hosts Southowram for 101 in the Premier but the sides were unable to return to action after tea.
SBCI were on the ropes at 46 for six at home to Booth when play was halted.
Richard Laycock had done much of the damage with four for 20 off 10 overs.
The the other wicket-takers for the Calder Valley side were Usman Saghir and Moazzam Ayub.