Yeadon survived a traumatic, nail biting rain affected match to reach their second Priestley Cup final in three years. They saw off the challenge of the much vaunted Pudsey St Lawrence thanks to a match winning display by Damon Gormley and some cool heads - chiefly young spinner Grant Soames who had the daunting task of bowling the last over.
When the tie got underway on Sunday it lasted only six overs before the rains came. Play was suspended for two and threequarter hours before resuming.
Yeadon batted first and although they lost Munawar for 13 his opening partner Jon Carey set his stall out and hit a fine 45 before being caught by Craig Thomas off Singh.
Iain Philliskirk had also fallen victim to Singh being lbw for 24 but his fellow Scarborian Damon Gormley continued his excellent form of the previous day - when he notched his first Bradford League century - with a glorious unbeaten 78.
Yeadon piled on the runs in the last ten overs with Gormley joined by Naeem Khan who made 27 and skipper Craig Thornton run out for 11 as they piled up a score of 226-6.
Pudsey started their innings and were 79-3 after 25 overs when play ended for the day. By this stage Saints had lost Aziz, Thompson and Yorkshire player Ian Fisher. Iain Priestley and James Smith were however starting to make their mark.
Come Monday and Yeadon spirits were high. They were even higher when Gormley pulled off a magnificent catch to dismiss Priestley just when he was getting into full stride.
James Smith followed to a smart catch by wicketkeeper Paul Hebden as Gully Ahmed bowled a tidy spell.
Yorkshire's out of favour Paul Hutchison made little impact being bowled by Ahmed for ten but Chris Gott showed how his reputation was built.
The former Saints super star has struggled with injury and has struggled for runs but scenting a cup final appearance Gott mustered all the weapons in his armoury and things started to look decidedly dodgy for Yeadon.
Skipper Thornton was clinically taken apart as Gott hammered 5 sixes, mostly straight out of the ground. Thornton is nothing if not courageous and his battle ended with Gott going for one big hit too many as his side crept closer and closer to the target, albeit needing 11 runs an over.
Gott was caught on the boundary edge by the safe hands of Gormley and Thornton breathed a sigh of relief.
The game was still anybody's and it looked something of a miscalculation when the steady John Roper, keeping things tight at his end while Thornton suffered, finished his overs leaving the last over to be bowled by a new bowler. With Gormley's spinning finger having been damaged whilst fielding who was it to be?
Young spinner Grant Soames stepped forward and marked out his run with Pudsey needing 15 runs to win.
Hutchinson lounging by the clubhouse raised an eyebrow as the young spinner stepped up but Soames looked as if he had nothing to fear and bowled sensibly. It came to the last ball and Pudsey needed a six to win, Soames was having none of that and instead trapped Gary Severn lbw.
All over, game set and a cup final to Yeadon whose nerves had been jangling but now they only had time for celebrating.
So now its to the final against Baildon at Undercliffe on Sunday, August 15. Another great day out for Yeadon and a hope that they go one step further than last time out against East Bierley.
Yeadon. - W Munawar c Singh b Rooke 13, J Carey b Thomas b Singh 45, I Philliskirk lbw b Singh 24, D Gormley n.o. 78, N Khan c Priestley b Smith 27, G Ahmed c and b Smith 0, C Thornton run out 11, G Soames n.o. 2; x 26; ttl 226-6.
Bowling: A Rooke 10-5-18-1, G Severn 7-2-36-0, I Fisher 10-2-37-0, G Singh 10-1-28-2, P Hutchison 10-0-58-1.
Pudsey St Lawrence. - T Aziz b Roper 14, M Thompson c Thornton b Gormley 0, J Smith c Hebden b Ahmed 44, I Fisher b Gormley 5, I Priestley c Gormley b Khan 23, C Gott c Gormley b Thornton 76, P Hutchison c Hebden b Ahmed 10, G Singh c Carey b Thornton 11, C Thomas n.o. 12, G Severn lbw b Soames 4; x 22; ttl 221-9.
Bowling: J Roper 10-3-22-1, D Gormley 8-0-30-2, I Philliskirk 6-0-29-0, N Khan 10-1-30-1, C Thornton 8-0-57-2, G Ahmed 7-0-31-12, G Soames 1-0-8-1.
DAMON Gormley notched his first Bradford League century on Saturday as Yeadon piled up 206-5 against fellow strugglers Bradford and Bingley. Rarely has former Yeadon skipper Peter Graham's bowling been treat with such disdain. Gormley found an ally in Gulsharez Ahmed who made a fine 34 but it was the former Scarborough man who took the eye.
His was a hugely entertaining knock with some big sixes as he powered his side from a mid innings 49-5 to what most thought was a match winning 206.
Beleagured Bingley skipper Patrick Fordham however had other ideas and although his side lacked four regulars he did what he does best. Concentrated hard, waited for the breaks and slowly but surely steered his side to victory with an unbeaten 75 after Alex Stead had opened with 50. Yeadon must have been disappointed.
Yeadon. - W Munawar c Cockshott b McCarthy 8, J Carey c Graham b Stead 20, I Philliskirk c Fordham b McCarthy 5, N Khan c Fordham b Stead 8, D Gormley n.o. 108, G Ahmed c McCarthy b Graham 34, C Thornton n.o. 13; x 10; ttl 206-5.
Bowling: R McCarthy 16-2-54-2, P Graham 15-5-40-1, A Stead 7-1-55-2, M Cockshott 12-3-50-0.
Bradford and Bingley. - A Stead c Gormley b Thornton 50, C Sharp b Roper 6, H Rashid st Hebden b Khan 35, P Fordham n.o. 75, R McCarthy b Roper 2, R Walker n.o. 20; x 20; ttl 208-4.
Bowling: J Roper 18.1-2-70-2, G Ahmed 6-1-28-0, C Thornton 9-2-19-1, G Soames 4-0-19-0, N Khan 9-1-41-l, D Gormley 3-0-14-0.
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