Sarfraz Ahmed produced a stunning spell of bowling as Woodlands ended Whitley Hall’s hopes of winning the Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions' Trophy for a third successive year yesterday.
Ahmed took 5-9 in 8.1 overs to rip the heart out of Whitley Hall's innings as they were dismissed for 179 in reply to Woodlands’ 208-7.
Ahmed’s outstanding bowling means that Woodlands can now look forward to an away semi-final against the York Senior League champions Woodhouse Grange, who defeated Whitley Hall’s South Yorkshire League rivals Treeton in the first round.
Woodlands achieved their win despite being without batsman Simon Mason, while left-arm spinner Chris Brice didn’t bowl a single ball.
Woodlands decided to bat first after winning the toss and were given a sound start by openers Scott Richardson (43) and Sam Frankland (38) who added 79.
Skipper Pieter Swanepoel promoted himself to No 3 in the absence of Mason and played an important innings of 34 as wickets began to tumble as James Ahmed (3-41) and Ben Webster (3-57) slowed Woodlands’ progress.
That man Ahmed then hit three towering sixes in a breezy 25 towards the end of Woodlands' innings.
Whitley Hall quickly ran into trouble when they replied as Ahmed removed former Cleckheaton batsman Chris Siddall and Jim Tasker.
After teenage bowler Scott Richardson had removed Oliver Whittaker to reduce Whitley Hall to 51-3, the dangerous Jaco Castle came in to join opener Neil Longhurst.
Castle, who was man of the match in Whitley Hall’s 2011 final triumph over Wrenthorpe, made 23 before he was dismissed by Ahmed, who also removed Alex Fletcher as Whitley Hall were reduced to 117-5.
It was part-time bowler Sam Frankland who claimed the key wicket of Longhurst, who had struck ten fours in a determined innings of 70.
Whitley Hall were 125-6 and there was no way back for them. A run out and two wickets for Swanepoel put them on the brink of defeat before Ahmed returned to claim the final wicket.
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