Trophy-hunting Barnsley Woolley into second semi-final of season
■ Cawthorne also at finals day and level in league with Elsecar ■ Jackson takes five as Shaw Laners win to go up to fourth
BARNSLEY Woolley Miners reached their second semi-final of the year this week and are on course to achieve their pre-season aim of winning a trophy.
Barnsley beat local rivals Cawthorne at Shaw Lane on Sunday in the Twenty20 Blast when the group stage was due to conclude.
The later matches were called off due to rain so Barnsley finished second in the group, with games taking place on three Sundays throughout the season.
They will play in the finals day on August 14 – a week after the Shaw Laners’ Viking Cup semi-final.
Captain Jason Booth said: “We targeted the cups this season and we’re getting closer. It would be absolutely fantastic to bring some silverware back to Shaw Lane. Young players will get hungry for more. Ideally we will win both but any trophy would be great.”
Australian star batter Jake Weatherald – who had made four low scores in the 20-over cup this season – bashed 96 off 40 balls with seven sixes and ten fours.
Barnsley posted 194 then Cawthorne were set 118 off 12 overs and fell nine runs short.
Booth said: “Jake’s hitting was phenomenal. I had the pleasure of batting with him for the first time.
“I have played with some really good players, but he’s something else.
“There is no margin of error for any bowler. If you get it wrong, you go into the trees
“194 on a big pitch was a very good score. Cawthorne had a good start but it was alway going to be difficult for them to keep momentum. Jay Smith bowled two outstanding overs to secure the win.
“We have to be confident going into finals day. Jake has added a lot to the team with his batting but also his mindset. We have the youngest, quickest and most dynamic team and a plan that works for us.”
In the league on Saturday, Barnsley bowled Whitley Hall out for 120 in a four-wicket win. Oliver Jackson took five wickets and Ali Jahangir three.
The Shaw Laners are now fourth.
Booth said: “We bowled really well. When we get early wickets, we usually win. 150 would have been tough to chase, but we were always going to get 120.
“We lost Jake to the first ball and best ball of the day but batted very positively as a team – especially Sheryaar Ali and Jon Trower.
“We lost our first five games and most of those sides are at the bottom end of the table. It’s disappointing because we could have been a lot higher in the league but we couldn’t be more pleased with the run we’ve been on and the way we are playing.”
Cawthorne’s second Twenty20 match was rained off but they finish fourth and will also play at finals day.
In the league, they chased 230 to win by two wickets against Sheffield Collegiate, with 15 balls to spare.
They are second-bottom, level on points with third-bottom neighbours Elsecar who fell 83 runs short chasing 257 against Doncaster.
Elsecar beat Whitley Hall by 40 runs in the Twenty20 Cup.
Tanzeel Ali smashed seven sixes in his 79 off 46 balls in Elsecar’s 173 then Kashif
Naveed and William Chapman took three wickets each.
Their second game was called off and they finished tenth.
■ Barnsley players Jake Weatherald and Ali Jahangir have been selected for a Yorkshire XI to face Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians development squad this week.