Cricket round-up: Hatfield Town fall short in Division One title race

Hatfield Town’s hopes of winning the Pontefract & District Cricket League Division One title have been ended by back-to-back defeats.
By Paul Goodwin
Published 8th Sep 2021, 11:12 BST
Updated 8th Sep 2021, 11:12 BST
Hatfield Town Cricket Club. Back (l-r) Owen Young, Greg Fairhurst, Antony Garrigan, Luke Cockburn, Connah Pattison, Alec Elliott and James Stewart. Front (l-r) Phil Fletcher, Ellis Pattison, James Winstanley, Blake Blythe and Arron Horsfield.Hatfield Town Cricket Club. Back (l-r) Owen Young, Greg Fairhurst, Antony Garrigan, Luke Cockburn, Connah Pattison, Alec Elliott and James Stewart. Front (l-r) Phil Fletcher, Ellis Pattison, James Winstanley, Blake Blythe and Arron Horsfield.
Hatfield Town Cricket Club. Back (l-r) Owen Young, Greg Fairhurst, Antony Garrigan, Luke Cockburn, Connah Pattison, Alec Elliott and James Stewart. Front (l-r) Phil Fletcher, Ellis Pattison, James Winstanley, Blake Blythe and Arron Horsfield.

The Carr Side Lane club have enjoyed an excellent top flight campaign and were well placed for a title push.

They started the season in particularly impressive form, losing just once in May and June.

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But, after three straight wins in August raised hopes of a title push, successive defeats to fellow high-flyers Askern Welfare and Ackworth mean Town will now have to settle for a top six finish.

Alec Elliot scored a half century for Hatfield Town against Ackworth. Pictures: Marie CaleyAlec Elliot scored a half century for Hatfield Town against Ackworth. Pictures: Marie Caley
Alec Elliot scored a half century for Hatfield Town against Ackworth. Pictures: Marie Caley

Second-placed Ackworth ran out winners by six wickets with plenty of overs to spare on Saturday and two former Doncaster Town men were key to the victory.

Luke Townsend took 4-71 as Hatfield posted 203 all out before Amit Kundra anchored the run chase with 89.

Alec Elliot top scored for Town with 56, while opener Connah Pattison made 37 and Anthony Garrigan added 36.

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Askern, who sit third in the table, beat West Bretton by three runs in a thrilling penultimate game of the season.

Sachira Madapatha (70) steered Welfare to a total of 201 all out and then claimed 3-57 with the ball to help restrict the hosts to 198-9.

Fenwick, meanwhile, have been promoted from Division Three following an emphatic win at home to Newton Hill.

Ben Randall top scored with 57 in Fenwick’s 193-9 before the visitors were skittled for 88.

Chris Stothard snared 6-25 with the ball.

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Doncaster Town finished a disappointing season in the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League with a resounding 136-run win at relegated Wickersley Old Village thanks to a brilliant all-round display from Joe Gallagher.

Gallagher hit 71 not out as Town amassed 296-8 from 50 overs and then claimed superb figures of 7-51 with the ball to help dismiss Wickersley for 160.

Town finished ninth in the Premier Division table.

Tickhill, who finished one place and two points above Doncaster, concluded their season with a narrow three-wicket defeat at Wakefield Thornes.

Wakefield reached their target of 216 with three balls to spare.

Related topics:Hatfield TownPontefractAckworthDoncaster TownAskern