2009 Final report

East Bierley v Farsley

Final act: Robert Thornton's leg stump is sent cartwheeling by Paul Hutchison to seal East Bierley's 123-run win. Picture: John Crowther.

East Bierley won the Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup for the seventh time when they completed a 123-run win over Farsley on Monday.

Farsley, who started at 71-1 from 15 overs after rain halted play yesterday, lost their remaining seven wickets for 78 runs in 24 overs.

They were hampered by the absence of skipper David Syers and Chris Henry which left them with only nine batsmen.

Spinner Luke Jarvis (2-26) was the pick of the East Bierley bowlers as Farsley lost wickets at regular intervals.

Andrew Rennison, who top scored with 90 in East Bierley's total of 272-9, was voted man of the match.

Match commentary

East Bierley won the toss and chose to bat. Farsley suffered a big blow on the eve of the game with when Yorkshire called all-rounder James Lee into their squad for their game with Sussex at Scarborough. Ayuz Akram took his place.

Chris Henry opened the bowling and from the first ball former Farsley batsman Steve Simpson got an inside edge and the ball flew to fine leg for a single. Gharib Razak registered the first boundary from the second ball with a cut for four.

Robert Thornton shared the attack and Razak layed into a wide half volley to drive his second four.

10-1 WICKET: It was to be his last scoring shot. On the final ball of the over Simpson sent Razak back and he was run out as Lorenzo Inghram's swift throw saw wicketkeeper David Syers whip off the bails.

Wood settled in quietly but in the fifth over he produced a graceful cover drive to register his first four abd he repeated the shot to get two more runs later in the over.

Simpson hit the first six of the match in the eighth over when he drove Thornton over extra cover as the score moved on to 34-1.

Wood stretched out to drive Henry through the off side for four more as the East Bierley innings gathered momentum.

Wood collected his fourth four when he glanced Thornton to the fine leg boundary.

The 50 came up off 66 balls as East Bierley continued to build their total.

Wood, who made 70 at Wagon Lane yesterday, clubbed Thornton down the ground for four.

The 50 partnership arrived off 67 balls and Farsley were in need of a breakthrough.

69-2 WICKET Farsley got the breakthrough they wanted as Simpson skies a drive off Thornton and is caught on the boundary in front of the scorebox by Joe Greaves. Simpson had made 24.

70-3 WICKET: Just like buses the wickets come in twos. Lorenzo Inghram strikes in his first over after replacing Henry (7-1-37-0). New batsman Lee Goddard drives a return catch off a full toss.

There's rain in the air as Andrew Rennison joins Wood who is going well. Rennison registers his first boundary with a clubbing shot straight down the ground for four off Thornton.

Wood seemed determined not to let Inghram settle and employed the reverse sweep to good effect as he kep the scoreboard ticking over.

The 100 cam up off 131 balls and 86 minutes with a six and nine fours. It came up in Thornton's final over. he finished his spell with figures of 10-0-49-1.

Ayuz Akram joined the attack in place of Thornton at the rugby ground end. Rennison greeted his arrival by clipping him through midwicket for four as the score moved on to 109-3.

111-4 WICKET: Akram strikes a big blow in his first over when Wood edges a delivery to wicketkeeper David Syers.

Rennison notched his third boundary when he leg glanced Akram wide of the diving Syers and from the next ball he straight drove the bowler for four.

There's light rain falling as the players take drinks. Surely tea would be better on a chilly afternoon. East Bierley are 127-4 at the halfway stage with Rennison unbeaten on 28 and Gavin Hamilton on three.

Rennison was quick to punish anything off line and cut Akram away for four. Akram, despite his wicket, was proving expensive with his first five overs costing 28 runs.

Farsley introduced their fifth bowler in the 32nd over with the former Yorkshire player Ashley metcalfe taking over from Akram at the rugby ground end.

Five wides from a Metcalfe delivery brought up the 50 partnership between Rennison and Hamilton as East Bierley moved on to 160-4

With Inghram finishing with figures 10-0-36-1, Farsley introduced a sixth bowler in teenager Joe Greaves. A high full toss from Greaves was pulled for four by Hamilton for his first boundary.

Rennison brought up his half-century when he pulled a short ball from Metcalfe to the midwicket boundary.

East Bierley were building a good platform for a late onslaught at 181-4 after 37 overs.

Hamilton added his second boundary with a delightful late cut in Greaves's second over.

192-5 WICKET: Metcalfe gets a much-needed wicket when he clean bowls Hamilton for 27 with a superb delivery.

Skipper Paul Hutchison joined Rennison as Bierley looked to increase the tempo. With 10 overs to go they were 199-5

Greaves was tending to over pitch and a high full toss was powered through mid wicket for four by Hutchison.

When Metcalfe dropped short Rennison pulled him for four to move on to 66. And he followed up by rocking on to the back foot and pulling another boundary next ball. To add to Farsley's woes the next ball was a full toss which was pulled over the cricket shed for six.

Hutchsion wasn't going to miss out on the action and he straight drove Metcalfe for six as 21 came from Metcalfe's seventh over.

230-6 WICKET: Greaves gets his first wicket when Hutchison drives to long off and is well caught by Shabbir Rashid for 12.

Metcalfe was removed from the attack after his mauling with figures of 7-1-48-1 and Ayuz Akram returned.

Rennison moved on to 84 with a beautiful four clipped off his legs when Akram over-pitched.

Rennison moved on to 90 with a one-handed clip into the legside off Akram and then Kez Ahmed brought up the 250 with a straight drive for four.

253-7 WICKET: Rennison's fine innings is over. He tries to drive Akram over long off but only finds Chris Henry who holds a good catch. Rennison departs to a warm reception from an appreciative crowd.

254-8 WICKET: Ahmed swings Greaves into the legside where Gareth Phillips takes a well-judged catch.

Mohammad Azharullah joins Chris Elstub and gets off the mark with a drive for four.

Elstub hit his first boundary when he drove Akram through midwicket for four.

From the final ball oif the innings Azharullah launched a ball from Akram into the deep where Henry tok his second catch. East Bierley finished on 272-9.

Farsley innings

Overseas player Lorenzo Inghram and Harpal Ryatt opened the batting. Both batrsmen took quick singles before Inghram pulled Azharullah for four.

Ryatt recorded his first boundary when he straight drove Azharullah for four when he overpitched.

Ryatt straight drove Paul Hutchison for two before clipping him off his legs for four and then lofted him over cover for four. A single took the score to 29-0 after four overs.

Inghram opened his shoulders to loft Hutchison through midwicket for four as Farsley continued to score at a brisk rate. He then drove the left armer through point for four.

Inghram had a let off when he tried to loft Hutchison over long off. Simpson running backwards could not cling on as he stretched for the catch.

Hutchison had yielded 26 runs in three overs and was replaced by Chris Elstub at the pavilion end.

46-1 WICKET: Elstub strikes when he bowls Inghram round his legs. The batsman can hardly believe what has happened. He made 18.

New batsman Gareth Phillips made a nervy start. he got off the mark with a streaky edge past his leg stump off Azharullah.

Phillips then went on the attack hitting four fours off Elstub from successive balls. The first two were drives down the ground, the third was despatched through the covers and the fourth was glanced to fine leg.

The rain was falling heavily and it was becoming difficult for the players.

With the score on 70-1 umpires Jim Gomersal and David Barnes called a halt

Play was halted at 6pm. Umpires Jim Gomersal and David Barnes inspected at 6.45pm and decided to take another look at 7.15pm. Soon after the announcement was made the rain started up again.

Play was finally abandoned for the day so it is back on Monday at noon to try and complete the game.

Day 2

Farsley will only bat with nine men as skipperDavid Syers is playing football for Farsley Celtic and Chris Henry when play resumed. Henry is setting off on holiday.

Left-arm spinner Luke Jarvis came into the attack for the first time. Immediately he got turn and lift to test Phillips who started on 20 not out. Jarvis opened with a maiden.

Elstub shared the attack bowling from the opposite end to where he operated in his first spell yesterday. Ryatt was 25 not out overnight. Ryatt registered the first run of the day from Elstub's third ball with a single to square leg.

72-2 WICKET: Ryatt tries to force the pace and lofts a ball from Jarvis into the hands of subsitute Matt Anderson.

72-3 WICKET: Next ball new batsman Shabbir Rashid sends Phillips back as he attempts to take a single and he is run out.

Former Yorkshire batsman Ashley Metcalfe and Rashid have a big job to do. With two batsmen absent it was not the start Farsley wanted.

Elstub appeared to be having trouble on the damp run up and after just two overs Bierley introduced their second spinner Kez Ahmed. Like Jarvis he also found assistance from the pitch.

The batsmen were having to work hard for their runs and five wides brought up the 100. It took 153 balls and 128 minutes. It's 110-3 at the halfway stage.

Jarvis was in to his sixth over before he yielded a boundary. Rashid opened his shoulders and lofted him over the midwicket boundary. Not to be outdone, Metcalfe stepped out and drove Ahmed straight for six in the next over.

Metcalfe was lucky when he tried to repeat the stroke two balls later and got a streaky single off an inside edge to fine leg.

Rashid was also fortunate when he attempted an ambitious slog sweep at a ball from Jarvis and was almost bowled.

117-4 WICKET: Shabbir's luck runs out. He lobs a gentle catch to Andrew Rennison at cover to give Jarvis his second wicket.

Teenage batsman Joe Greaves joined Metcalfe who appeared to have all the hopes of Farsley resting on his experienced shoulders.

Greaves was struggling to break the grip of Jarvis who was producing an impressive spell for East Bierley. Finally in the spinner's last over he steps out and drives him straight for four.

133-5 WICKET: Disaster strikes again as Metcalfe calls a quick run and Greaves fails to respond and is run out for eight.

136-6 WICKET: Jarvis ends his spell with the excellent figures of 10-2-26-2 and when Paul Hutchison takes over he immediately removes Metcalfe who is bowled attemptinga big hit.

138-7 WICKET: Frankland departs and the end is in sight. He chips Ahmed to Elstub at mid off to give the spinner a deserved wicket.

Last man Robert Thornton joins Ayuz Akram. Farsley have had some fine last wicket stands but have never needed one of this magnitude.

Akram got the scoreboard rolling with a good drive through the covers for a welcome four.

Thornton got off the mark with a top edge to third man off Hutchison which the diving Elstub.His second scoring shot was an impressive straight drive for four off Ahmed.

149-8 WICKET: The end. Thornton is clean bowled by Hutchison with his leg stump cartwheeling out of the ground.

Cue celebration for East Bierley who won by 123 runs and collected the cup for the first time since 2000. Andrew Rennison was named Man of the Match for his innings of 90.

Andrew Rennison receives the man of the match award from David Lewis of Sovereign Health Care.