South African all-rounder Schaper stars with bat and ball as York beat rivals Clifton Alliance
ALL-ROUNDERS are like gold dust in cricket, and no all-rounder in Yorkshire senior grade cricket is in better form at the moment than Breidyn Schaper.
The 22-year-old South African slow left-armer took 5-5 for York on Saturday and then scored a disciplined 60 as they won by six wickets at Clifton Alliance in Yorkshire Premier League North.
Clifton won the toss and batted, recovering from 49-4 to finish on 180 thanks to opener Bryn Llewellyn (78) and Samuel Grant (48), who added 102 for the fifth wicket.
Schaper, who was the seventh bowler used, took five of the last six dismissals, and then put on 102 for the second wicket with Luke Kilby (71) as York paced their reply nicely, finishing in the 48th over.
Winning your opening two matches has been as much down to good fortune as good form with so many matches being abandoned, but Castleford and Harrogate have matched York in that feat.
Castleford made 147 at home to 2022 champions Driffield Town before spinners David Wainwright and Eddie Morrison again did their stuff.
Morrison took 5-16 and Wainwright 3-15, taking both to eight wickets in two matches, as the visitors were castled for just 48.
Harrogate were 22-3 at Stamford Bridge, but Arjun Ramkumar (35), Harry Allinson (43) and David Stiff (56) helped them to 168-6 before the hosts were restricted to a mere 91-8 in a 38-overs-per-side contest, Matthew Stewart (3-12) and Jack Shutt (3-37) being the most successful bowlers.
In a battle between promoted sides, Easingwold won by three wickets at home to Hull Zingari.
Priestley Cup winners Bradford & Bingley are one of three clubs to boast two wins from two in the Bradford Premier League, alongside usual suspects New Farnley and Woodlands.
South African Louren Steenkamp starred for the Bees, scoring 90 in their 240-7 against Pudsey Congs, adding 123 with former Congs player Rishi Chopra (58).
New-ball bowler Jack Luxton, younger brother of Yorkshire’s Will, then took 5-25 as Congs were skittled for 68.
Tim Jackson continued his good form with 86 for Woodlands as they made 209-8 against Ossett, Sam
Frankland (39) adding 77 with him for the first wicket and 80 with Brad Schmulian (30) for the third.
Schmulian then took 3-29 in Ossett’s 141.
Adam Ahmed (39), new signing Ryan McKendry (36), Usman Arshad (36) and Aidan Langley (30) all contributed to New Farnley’s 224 against Pudsey St Lawrence, Josh Priestley recovering from a nasty fall delivering the second ball of the match to take 4-64.
Saints could then only make 82, with the accurate Yasir Abbas taking 3-16 on his home debut, having signed from Bradford & Bingley.
With wet wickets to cope with, centuries have been rare so far this season, but Chris Holliday scored 113 in Townville’s impressive 3096 against Jer Lane at Park Avenue, and Joe Pocklington, promoted to opener, hit 109 in Farsley’s 301-5 against Cleckheaton as both sides got off the mark.
Pocklington put on 140 with captain Ben Wright (70) before taking 3-20 on a good day for spinners.
Newly-promoted Undercliffe beat Methley by five wickets, chiefly thanks to Danish Hussain (53) and Zeeshan Qasim (4-39).
In the Huddersfield League, Pragam Sharma hit 125 as Wesleyans beat Shepley by 105 runs.
Otley are the only team with a perfect record in the Airedale & Wharfedale League Premier, thrashing Pool by nine wickets.