Perfect final
Scholes skipper James Noble lifts the Sykes Cup. Below: Joe Carter (left) and Devon Smith were superb in partnership. Main picture by Paul Ibbotson Broad Oak line up for the final: Back, from left: Katie Field (scorer), Harry Franklin, Alex Slack, Sean Mee, Dom Finn, Adam France and Ben Hyde. Front: Sven Burluraux, Harvey Booth, Jack Hargreaves (capt), Jack Wadsworth, John Keeling, Matthew Butters and Tom McCreadie. Picture by Dave Howarth SKIPPER James Noble reflected on Scholes’ Sykes Cup victory and smiled: “As finals go, we couldn’t have asked for more!”
The Chapelgate club had been waiting 21 years to take the famous old trophy back to their Holme Valley base, and Noble admits it was sweet indeed.
Overseas imports Joe Carter (with a fabulous 105) and Devon Smith (91) starred as Scholes totalled 308-9 before bowling out Broad Oak for 125 in front of around 800 spectators at Elland’s Hullen Edge.
“It was an absolutely great day for the players, for the club and everyone involved at Scholes,” said Noble, delighted to add the All Roundersponsored competition to a CV already including Byrom Shield, T20 Trophy and Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy.
“You could see by the reaction of our supporters how much it meant to everyone, especially after 21 years since winning the final last time.
“As finals go, we couldn’t have asked for more.
“We won the toss, put a hell of a lot of runs on the board and Joe and Devon were absolutely superb.
“People pay a lot of money to watch batting of that quality, and their partnership (it was 167 for the second wicket) effectively took the game away from Broad Oak.
“We talked before the game of aiming for 250 and then putting on a squeeze, but to have the luxury of 300-plus – which is a massive score at Elland and especially in a final – really took the pressure off and, to be fair, gave the Oak lads a big job to do.
“That was especially so when we did such a good job with the ball.”
Tom Brook took two early wickets from the Scoreboard End, brother Louis opened fluently and accurately from the Grammar School end and then Tom Chadwick and the third Brook brother in the team, Josh, continued to push as heavy drizzle fell.
Northland star Ben Hyde, who took three for 49 to back up Harvey Booth’s four for 61, valiantly stuck in for 44, but Booth with 15 and lastman-out Alex Slack with 18 were the only other Oak players in double figures.
“Those early wickets from Bruiser (Tom Brook) were just what we wanted and Lou bowled fantastically to keep the pressure on,” added Noble, the beaten skipper two years ago and who has been at Scholes for 17 years.
“The Oak lads knew they had to go