HUNSLET Nelson will have their name engraved on the Jack Hampshire Cup for the first time after winning a battle of new finalists in a well-staged decider at Liversedge Cricket Club.

Cleckheaton-based Scholes won the toss but lost Adam Greenwood in the first over to man-of-the-match, spinner Matt Varley (5-50), before recovering to finish on 206 from their 40 overs.

Stands of 38 and 37 helped the re-building process before keeper Liam Thomas (39) added 69 for the fourth wicket with Mahleb Mahmood (53no off 67 balls, including five fours), although Tyler Woodhouse (1-27), who turned 18 on Saturday, and Sam Thewlis (0-22) kept things tight.

Scholes’ cause was not helped by run outs for captain Josh Fell and Nick Curtis Firth and Kabir Bashir, but at least they had something to defend against fellow Division Two promotion contenders Hunslet Nelson, who face Scholes away next Saturday.

However, Will Stiff then took the run rate out of the equation for Hunslet Nelson by scoring 58 off 46 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, with fellow opener Woodhouse (25) content to provide back up in a partnership of 90.

Both batters fell at that score, but Andy McIntosh (15) then added 41 with skipper Jack Scanlon (26) before Alastair Finn guided Hunslet Nelson to a four-wicket win with 16 balls remaining, hitting a straight four to win the match and bring up his unbeaten half-century, which contained 36 balls and included seven fours and a six.

Hamza Khan (2-26) and Greenwood (2-33) were Scholes’ best bowlers.

Fell said afterwards: “I thought that we were well in it at the tea interval - to get 200 and above was competitive, although we didn’t get off to the greatest of starts after tea.

“I was reasonably happy with that (total) - 30 or 40 more might have got us over the line, but no complaints really.

“Their opening bat (Stiff) has come out and played well, played some good shots. There was a bit of indiscipline from us and we tried to grab it back, but it was too late and whenever we tried to get on top we let it slide.”

Hunslet Nelson captain Scanlon said: “We were quite happy at the tea interval. We had bowled and fielded really well, it was a good wicket and the outfield was like lightning.

“We took a few wickets which halted their momentum and none of their top order got past 40.

“We took wickets at key times, we had three run outs (including Josh Fell and Nick Curtis Firth), which were key, and it was a great team effort.

“Matthew bowled well, but he has all year and he is a great lad. Five wickets on what was a great deck was a top effort, but it wasn’t just Matthew.

“Our other spinner, Tyler Woodhouse, also kept it tight, and they both went for about three an over, which was a great team effort, and we backed it up in the field.”

Scanlon added: “We thought (Scholes’ total) was about par but we thought that we could chase that down.

“Will Stiff set the tone at the top of the order. It was a great knock which got us in front of the game and the run rate never really came into it.

“Although we lost a couple of wickets, we rebuilt, the middle order chipped in and it was a great knock at the end by Alistair Finn to get us over the line.”

It was a change of fortune for Scanlon as far as the Jack Hampshire Cup was concerned.

He explained: “We used to play for the Jack Hampshire Cup when we were in the Central Yorkshire League and we have lost five semi-finals.

“It is a great competition and we are delighted to win it, but it is not always easy backing up on a Sunday after a Saturday league game.

“It is a big commitment for families and a lot of our players don’t get paid to play.

“Also with moving the T20s to a Sunday, we have played nine Sundays out of ten but at least we have something to show for it.”

Scanlon admitted that winning the cup was a special moment for both him and Hunslet Nelson.

As for the rest of the Division Two league programme is concerned, bearing in mind that Scholes and Hunslet Nelson are tied on 231 points in third and fourth, three points behind second-placed Gomersal with six matches left, Fell admitted: “We have a big month coming up in the league, and we have Hunslet Nelson again next Saturday before playing Lightcliffe (fifth on 205 points) at the end of the month.”

Scanlon added: “There is plenty to play for. We play Scholes next week in the league and we are on the same points, and that is a big game.

“We are both three points off a promotion place and we won’t get carried away, but we want to be playing Division One cricket next year and we will be working hard over the next five or six weeks to finish the season strong and what will be will be, but we will focus on our ourselves.”

Scholes opener Shafaqat Ali hit three fours and two sixes in scoring 28 off 24 balls, but the run out of Fell and a good catch by a diving Woodhouse to dismiss Jamie Robson (playing despite a hamstring pull) at short wide mid-on made the score 81-4, which paved the way for the stand between Thomas and Mahmood.

Varley, back for a third spell, picked up the wickets of Greg Keywood, Joe Duffy and Hamza Khan.