Swaine win 5th successive title with 2 centuries in record 475
HOYLANDSWAINE collected a fifth successive Premiership title after making a league record 475 in a win at Almondbury Wesleyans.
Swaine – who have won 21 of their 23 league games – are 22 points clear with three matches remaining so cannot be caught with six available for a win.
Captain Arron Lilley said: “We’ve done well. We have a strong side so we thought we would get to where we are. It’s good to do it with three games left.
“I wasn’t at the club at the start of this run of titles but I’ve been involved for a few years now and we just want to keep it going.
“Other teams will strengthen over the summer but we want to keep most of this team together and strengthen it.
“We’re slightly disappointed not to win any of the cups. We lost the final of the Sykes Cup and were unlucky to go out in the Twenty20 on run-rate.
“Next season we want to compete for the Heavy Woollen Cup so we’ll build a strong side.”
Furqan Shafiq opened with 71 from 51 balls with 13 fours and a six but, when he was out, Swaine were 98 for four.
Lilley – who also plays for Leicestershire CCC – smashed 121 off 54 balls with 15 fours and seven sixes with
Jack Seddon hitting 110 off 48 balls with ten maximums and nine fours.
Barrie Frankland hit 76 off 64 balls with nine fours and three sixes.
Muhammed Azharullah took four wickets – to take his season tally to 88 – as did Max Morley.
Lilley said: “We were in a bit of trouble but we know we have lads all the way down the order who can turn the game around.
“I chanced my arm.
“I got dropped on the boundary twice but, when it’s your day, you have to cash in. Jack Seddon made a quickfire hundred as well.
“Then our bowlers did their job as usual. It was tough to take Azharullah off because he’s chasing 100 wickets.
“He misses one of our last games so he has two games to do it in.
“Him and Junaid (Khan) have bowled really well, backed up by the rest of the team.”
Hoylandswaine 2nd XI lifted the Crowther Cup on Monday, bowling out Farsley for 97 in a seven-wicket win.
Swaine seconds had posted 316 in the Conference on Saturday then bowled Thurstonland out for 153.
Ben Potter came in at number ten and hit 120 not out off 42 balls with 12 fours and ten sixes.
Faisal Irfan made 69 and Don Bandula hit 56 off 36 balls with 11 fours.
Swaine are second, two points off top with two games left. They visit leaders Birkby Rose Hill tomorrow.