Aire-Wharfe League: Bullish Beckwithshaw eyeing unbeaten campaign as Follifoot usurp Bilton

Beckwithshaw skipper Stuart Hudson is eyeing an unbeaten campaign in the Aire-Wharfe for his high flyers, but the league’s points system continues to irk him.
Stuart Hudson of BeckwithshawStuart Hudson of Beckwithshaw
Stuart Hudson of Beckwithshaw

Hudson’s men overturned rivals Burley by 89 runs on Saturday after the captain’s decision to bat first paid dividend.

Half centuries from Ben Quick (56) and Yasir Ali (59) sent Shaw to 248-5, before four wickets apiece for Ishi Hussain and Ali bowled Burley out for 159.

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With reigning league winners Otley losing at the weekend, Shaw now enjoy a 14-point gap at the top.

Hudson said: “We could potentially do something quite special, we would be hoping that we could go throughout the season unbeaten. That’s what we have to aim for.

“But we can’t rest on our laurels and take anybody lightly. We have to really be up for it against all sides.”

Saturday’s win was only the second time in five dominant victories that Shaw have taken the maximum 20 points out of a contest. And Hudson complained the “ludicrous” Bradford League-style points system was stopping his side pulling away at the top.

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Hudson said: “Everything is going to plan other than the points system. I think it’s wrong that it’s rewarding sides for losing. Why should you get anything for losing.”

Beckwithshaw await town rivals Bilton this Saturday, with Vic Craven’s men looking to bounce back from a crushing defeat to Follifoot last week.

Aussie Damian Lawrence made the biggest contribution with 70 as ‘Foot made an average total of 208-7 after captain Nick Robinson elected to bat.

However, Umer Yaqoob (4-23) and Raees Ishtiaq (4-51) skittled Bilton’s top order cheaply to reduced them to 11-3 and 44-4. Odge Davey recovered the innings with 48, but Bilton were bowled out 65 runs short of the total.

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Captain Nick Robinson siad: “We probably started the game as underdogs and were looking to consolidate a good start and put in a good performance against one of the best sides in the league.

“It was good to play really well as a team and get the result. 208 we thought was about par, but we knew we had to bowl well. They have some very dangerous batsmen in their team but we managed to get Vic Craven out in the third over and then Ryan out early doors and the other opener.

“That gave us a really good kick-start and we kept on taking wickets at the right times.”

Follifoot next face a home rivalry against Collingham and Linton, who are positioned two places above the relegation zone.

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Sam Anderson’s side crashed to a five-wicket defeat at home to North Leeds last weekend, despite Ed Hayhurst’s late order half-century.

North Leeds made light work of chasing down Collingham’s 179 all out, winning in the 43rd over.

Elsewhere, Knaresborough edged a thriller at home to Adel in Division Two.

Sam Ryan’s half-century took Boro to a modest 169 all out in the opening innings, with former Harrogate CC player Andy Laws taking 5-23.

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Dave Girling’s early burst ripped through Adel’s top order, though, and reduced them to 52-5.

Veteran Jon Corcoran then took the final scalp as Adel were bowled out 13 runs short for 156.

FIXTURES

Beckwithshaw v Bilton; Follifoot v Collingham

Division Two: Horsforth v Knaresborough

Reserve Division One: Bilton v Horsforth

Reserve Division Two: Colton v Follifoot; Knaresborough v Beckwithshaw

Reserve Division Three: Collingham v Bardsey

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