Brighouse defeat Adwalton by four wickets

BRIGHOUSE CC welcomed the start of cricket for 2020 with mixed feelings.

The on/off nature of the plans to restart play in a limited competition will result in a league structure culminating in a final to determine the winner of the Covid Cup.

The first eleven have an eight match set of fixtures with the second eleven having just six matches.

But it was decided that the second eleven would withdraw from the competition after consideration of the cost in umpires and balls, coupled with the lack of facilities and concerns of parents.

The first team alone took the field against Adwalton CC of Bradford and secured a fine win by four wickets, chasing down 158 all out from a spirited Adwalton.

The six Brighouse bowlers in the main shared the spoils with only Owaise and Marrawat Hussain failing to gain a victim.

For Adwalton, Mathew Donohoe (30) and Sohail Rahman (57) returned the highest runs with Adam Holroyd (22) and Tom Marshall (20) producing fine knocks to push the total onward.

Chris Priestley was run out at the non strikers end as he strode out his ground seeking a quick single, Mazhar Bhakti dived to his right to stop the return from the batsman, deflecting the ball onto the stumps to leave Priestley stranded.

In response Yasir Hussain (13) and Parvaise Khan (60) looked very comfortable despite some awkward deliveries from both Patrick Green and Adam Holroyd.

Holroyd struck first inducing a lame shot and an easy catch to remove Yasir.

There was a welcome return to the fold for Sohail Hussain, having been away for last season, who scored 32 supporting the ‘boundary king’ Parvaise, who struck 10 fours during his spell at the wicket.

Khalid Mehmood (0) and Marrawat Hussain (0) reduced the home club to 125/5.

Azizi was next up in 16 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes, and at 29 not out, it was game over at 160/6 in 18.3 overs, securing a credible win against a very capable side.