Defending champion Nick Marsh crashed out of the English amateur at Alwoodley Golf Club yesterday, losing 6/5 to Pavan Sagoo in the first round.

Sagoo, who represented England at boys’ level and is now at university in California, was “ramped up” to be playing the titleholder and got off to a quick start. He had birdies on the first two holes and was five up through seven

“I’ve been playing well for a while, but today I holed some putts, which I haven’t been doing. It just came together,” said the 19-year-old from Ealing.

Marsh, the Halifax-born player attached to Huddersfield GC, reckoned his opponent was five-under for the match and remarked: “Pavan played really well.”

He took his defeat with dignity and said of his reign: “It’s been nice.”

There was better news for another Halifax-Huddersfield Union player, Jamie Bower.

The Meltham player was facing Harry Wall (West Cornwall) in the last 32 today after a 4 and 3 win over Seb Crookall-Nixon (Silloth on Solway).

GOING to watch Glenn Maxwell play cricket is a bit like going on a blind date.

You never know what you are going to get.

If that is the thrill of it, it is also the terror from a Yorkshire fan’s perspective.

The supporter arrives with his heart in his mouth, not knowing which Maxwell is going to turn up.

The Maxwell who turned up yesterday was the one who can play like few players can.

It was the Maxwell who lit up the recent World Cup, the Maxwell that Yorkshire want to see more of, if truth be told.

Yesterday, the Australian hit a superb 111 from 76 balls with eight fours and four sixes – his highest score for the club – as Yorkshire made 345-6 after choosing to bat.

Worcestershire were dismissed for 212 in reply, Steve Patterson returning 5-24 as the visitors prevailed by 133 runs.

“It was good to finally get the three figures for Yorkshire,” said Maxwell, whose previous best innings for the club was 92 not out against Nottinghamshire at Headingley in the T20 Blast.

“I felt like I’d been playing really well over the last two months, but haven’t really put it all together.

“This time, it was nice to get past that little landmark and hopefully it sort of opens the floodgates a bit.

“It was a great win – we were clinical in all three facets of the game – and the way the boys played was outstanding.”

Yorkshire’s total was their joint third-highest in one-day cricket and featured a number of fine contributions.

Alex Lees hit 67, the left-hander standing in as captain for Andrew Gale, who landed awkwardly on his right wrist while fielding against Worcestershire in the recent County Championship match at Scarborough, and who plans to return to action at next week’s Scarborough festival.

In bright sunshine, Lees added 61 for the first wicket with 
Andrew Hodd, who made 18 before he was caught at slip – one of three victims for debutant teenage pace bowler Ed Barnard.

Lees also added 61 for the second wicket with Maxwell before falling in the 24th over when he was stumped off the spinner Saeed Ajmal, ending an innings full of murderous drives and meaty clips.

On a pitch offering good pace and carry, Maxwell soon had his eye in, and he showed it by lofting Ajmal for six over long-off.

Another maximum followed when he launched the leg-spin of Brett D’Oliveira over mid-wicket, Maxwell going to his half-century from 46 balls.

It took him only another 25 deliveries to bring up his hundred, which included further sixes when D’Oliveira was dispatched over square-leg and Ajmal deposited over long-on.

Maxwell looked set for a massive score, but he was one of three wickets to fall in 11 balls as Yorkshire were pegged back a touch to 236-5 in the 39th over.

The first of those wickets was that of Gary Ballance, whose quest for a third successive Royal London Cup half-century ended on 28 when he skied Charlie Morris to Ajmal at mid-on, ending a stand of 105 with Maxwell in 14 overs.

Maxwell was caught behind trying to scoop Barnard in a kind of left-handed leg-glance, and then Barnard had Will Rhodes caught behind for a golden duck.

The trio of wickets hardly halted Yorkshire’s momentum, Jack Leaning and Adil Rashid combining in a stand of 102 from just 65 balls.

Rashid was caught behind for 41 off Morris in the last over, Leaning finishing unbeaten on 58 from 39 deliveries with five fours and two sixes.

With Tim Bresnan out with a chest infection and Matthew Fisher dropped, Yorkshire went with a new-ball attack of Jack Brooks and Steve Patterson.

Both were parsimonious and, in Patterson’s case, penetrative, Patterson running out Richard Oliver off his own bowling and then having Tom Fell caught at mid-on by Karl Carver.

Daryl Mitchell was run-out by a throw from mid-wicket by Lees, Worcestershire slipping to 95-4 when Tom Kohler-Cadmore was brilliantly held by Rhodes running back at long-on off Rashid.

D’Oliveira hit 42 from 56 balls before going caught behind off Plunkett, who had Ben Cox held by Rashid in the mid-wicket region.

Ross Whiteley, the Sheffield-born player who struck 91 not out against Yorkshire in the T20 Blast, and then 101 against them in the Championship, top-scored with a List A career-best 77 from 51 balls with six fours and five sixes.

But it was to no avail.

Patterson returned to take the last four wickets in a 15-ball burst from the New Road end.

Joe Leach was caught at deep mid-wicket by Ballance, Barnard pinned lbw, Ajmal caught at mid-on by Rhodes and Whiteley pouched at deep mid-wicket by Leaning to cap a ruthless team display.

MORE than 50 priests in England and Wales have been defrocked for clerical sex abuse since 2001, new figures show.

There have been 55 laicisations since 2001 - meaning they have been evicted from the clergy - after new rules were put in place to protect children and vulnerable adults in the Catholic Church.

But figures released by the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC) showed the Church, rocked by a series of historic abuse scandals, received many more complaints of sexual misconduct against the clergy.

And officials said there were a number of cases involving child abuse images where the victims could not be identified, meaning the number of overall victims may be much higher.

The Catholic church plans a national roll-out of a pilot project run in the Hallam Diocese in South Yorkshire which adopted a more pro-active approach to the issue of abuse. The ‘Hurt By Abuse’ initiative resulted in a doubling in the number of people reporting abuse in a nine-month period.

The NCSC said the church’s handling of allegations was improving but David Greenwood, a Yorkshire-based solicitor specialising in clerical abuse claims, maintained they should be dealt with by an independent body.

The NCSC’s annual report showed an increase in the number of perpetrators subject to “covenants of care”, essentially withdrawing them from ministering and severely restricting what they could do in the Church, from 384 at the end of 2013 to 462 at the end of 2014.

There were 79 allegations of abuse against children during the last year. They involved 97 different forms of abuse against 118 victims, abused by 83 suspects.

NCSC acting chairman Chris Pearson said: “This report highlights in full the work of the Commission and this announcement is just a snapshot of some of that work and findings over the last year.

“We are moving towards a much more consistent and sensitive approach in response to the victims and survivors of abuse.”

The Commission has approved the setting up of a Survivors Advisory Panel to help inform the work of the NCSC and its safeguarding work within the Catholic Church in England and Wales.

David Greenwood, who works with support group Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors, said allegations of abuse in both the Catholic church and the Church of England should be dealt with independently.

“Whilst both churches have improved their written policies and guidance there are really strong concerns about how that guidance is being implemented,” he said.

“It’s really down to individual bishops in their own dioceses when to report allegations to the police and what action to take.

“The number of recent investigations and prosecutions of clergy for abuse suggests this is an ongoing problem and the response of the church in the past leads us to believe they can no longer be trusted to police themselves.

“I’ve called for a number of years for a completely independent body to take complaints regarding the two main denominations. We may have to wait until the national independent inquiry (into child abuse) makes its recommendations to have something concrete on that.”

There are fears Todmorden residents may have to travel 10 miles to collect undelivered parcels and letters if the town’s delivery office closes.

Royal Mail are currently undertaking a feasibility study regarding moving its smaller delivery office at Rise Lane, Todmorden, into its delivery office in Rochdale.

The Labour Party Group on Todmorden Town Council has hit out at the proposals and says it will campaign for the delivery office to stay in the town.

There are concerns the move could lead to job losses and cause inconvenience for older, immobile, people.

But despite the proposed merger, Royal Mail say there will be no compulsory redundancies.

Mayor of Todmorden, Steph Booth, said “I am extremely concerned about the potential local job losses should the Todmorden Delivery Office close.

“It is an important local employer in addition to providing an important public service to the town, and the Labour control town council will be campaigning for its retention.

“However, should the office need to close then I will be seeking assurances from Royal Mail that there will be no compulsory redundancies and that all Todmorden delivery office employees are able to transfer elsewhere within Royal Mail.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said the move was being considered as a way to improve efficiency in a market where letters are in decline and there is significant competition in mail and parcels.

He said: “Whenever a delivery office move goes ahead, we would always offer our customers alternative means of receiving undelivered items of mail, including delivery to neighbour, to designated neighbour, re-delivery to the addressee, to another local address specified by the customer, or to arrange collection from a nearby Post Office branch.

“We also operate an open and honest policy with our staff and any modernisation or efficiency proposals being considered would always involve full discussions with all staff affected by any proposed change.”

Councillor Michael Hatfield, chair of the town council development committee, added: “While centralising the handling of mail may make commercial and logistical sense for Royal Mail, we must ensure that a facility remains within Todmorden for residents to collect undelivered letters and parcels on a daily basis.

“Royal Mail is increasingly handling over-sized items bought on the internet which cannot be delivered should the recipient be out at work.

“Having to travel to Rochdale in order to collect undelivered items will be extremely inconvenient for most Todmorden residents, particularly older pensioners and those without access to a private car.”

The Labour Group has requested that Todmorden residents write or email the town council in support of the delivery office remaining open.

These can then be forwarded to to Royal Mail in future correspondence.

Angry residents of a Mytholmroyd housing development have hit out at the construction of a wall which they say blocks their access to the main road.

The wall, at Longfellow Court, now restricts residents’ access to the A646 Burnley Road.

They say the land has been used as a pedestrian walkway for decades and are concerned about the wall’s impact, particularly for older residents.

But Calderdale Council says the walkway is not listed as a public right of way.

Concerns have also been raised about the possibility of the flood risk, as residents say the area can fill up and the walkway was an escape route for the water.

Jeff Kessler, 57, who lives at Longfellow Court, said: “There has been no consultation or anything. This has been a long-standing footpath.

“There’s always been an access road to the canal. It’s really irritating and I’m concerned that some people with limited mobility will have to go all the way around.”

It is not the first time the issue has caused problems. In April, a wall was erected in the same place and knocked down the following day,

It is thought the land was previously owned by Calderdale Council, but was sold to developers at auction in August 2014.

Coun Karl Boggis, Mayor of Hebden Royd, said: “Why did Calderdale’s planning department grant permission to the developer of Longfellow Court, including the stepped access, when the steps lead on to someone else’s land, if there was no established right of way?

“Was any consideration given, at the same time, for this access to be used as an emergency escape route and if so, why is it not appropriate now?

“And where are these residents expected to escape to now, should a need arise?

“What are Calderdale’s planners doing about the site’s new owners having large trucks delivering and collecting stone from the new stone yard, when they may have to reverse from the busy A646 Burnley Road?” added Coun Boggis.

Hebden Royd Town Councillor Elizabeth King (White Lee, Green), said: “I am very concerned that a right of access that people have used for a long time has been taken away.

“They are taking away a safe access route for people.”

Fellow town councillor Christine Bampton-Smith (Caldene, Lib Dem) said: “The crucial point is to retain some access.”

Mark Thompson, Calderdale Council’s acting director of economy and environment, said: “We have not received any formal complaints about a wall at this location, but a planning officer will be visiting the site in the near future.

“Walls or fences only require planning permission if they are over one metre high when next to a highway, or over two metres high in any other case.”

The landowner, who did not wish to be named, said he did not want to leave anyone stranded but insisted that the wall would stop people from going on his land and getting hurt because he had not secured it.

A Todmorden family will hit the small screen next week when they make their first appearance on a new travel series.

The Brearley family were selected to take part in ITV’s Travel Guides, which sends five ordinary British households to review some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

From Thai beach huts and all-inclusive stays in Tenerife, to five-star luxury in Dubai, the series will be a frank insight into what they can really offer an average Brit.

The Brearley’s - Jayne and Simon, along with their children Ben and Eleanor - began filming for the show in February and have had a ball jetting across the globe.

Jayne, 45, of Jayne Brearley & Co, Todmorden, said: “It has been fantastic, a really, really great experience. It’s something we wouldn’t normally do and the kids have loved it.

“Because I’m married to a tightwad Yorkshireman, there’s no way we would have been going to Dubai.”

While the Thai island of Koh Samui offered bargains galore, the family weren’t bowled over by nights spent in a beach hut and trips to a snake farm and local detox spa.

But a trip to Dubai offered absolute luxury, where they stayed in a five-star hotel on the famous Palm island. The family also visited Tenerife and enjoyed a staycation in the Lake District.

Jayne added: “I said to my husband, I’ll believe it when we are sat on the plane, then low and behold we were sat on a plane to Dubai.

“We didn’t really do it to get on television, it was just something that came along. The whole experience has been great.”

Each week the same households travel to a different destination and experience identical holidays,

The series begins on Monday, August 3, at 9pm on ITV1.

FOR US to get a score of 345 in the Royal London One-Day Cup at Worcester was a fantastic effort and Glenn Maxwell showed what he is all about.

Glenn has shown good form in this competition. It has been a frustrating time for us all as we know how much talent he’s got, but previously in other formats, he had never really got going and given himself a chance, if you like.

But the 50-over format probably suits him more than the 20-over stuff. He really showed what he can do with a match-winning contribution of 111 on Thursday.

He gave himself a chance and because he has got every shot under the sun, he can take an attack apart if he gets in.

That is what he did against Worcester; he gave himself a chance and then went through the gears.

We want to prove people wrong in the one-day format. We have had a lot of people speak about our T20 form and want to put things right in the one-dayers and get to Lord’s.

The score was the third highest one-day score in club history. We had been hitting scores before of 270 to 280, but when the pitch allows, you can get more. Pitches up north don’t allow that.

Gary Ballance hit a good knock of 77 when we got almost 260 at the Oval on Wednesday and I was pleased for him as I thought he was a tad unlucky not to be given another Test.

But he’s come back and looks like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. He looks like he has enjoyed his cricket this week and if he keeps his form up, he will be back in the England fold before we know it.

A lot has been made of his technique in the Ashes. For me, I have spoken to him about it and his technique has not changed since the West Indies when he became one of the quickest England players ever to a 1,000 runs in Test cricket.

He is one of those players who will always have his technique ripped to pieces as he is not quite easy on the eye and makes ugly runs. But for me, he needs to just keep doing what he has been. He’s one of those who when he gets in, scores a lot of runs and it’s about him getting back in form.

Onto the Ashes series and who really knows where to put their money?

It’s been bizarre.. I actually think that there’s nothing between the two teams really.

Australia have been fragile at times, but they have a few key performers in there and when the likes of Steve Smith and Chris Rogers get in, they are capable of making big scores.

It will be fascinating to see how it all pans out and I actually think it will go down at the end as one of the great series.

There was talk about the pitch at Edgbaston and I thought it was very good. It looks very much like the pitch that we played on there a few weeks back. Whatever happened off the pitch, it did it quickly and you found yourself nicking it.

If a pitch is slow and seams around, you tend not to nick it. At Edgbaston when it happens, it happens quite quickly and that is why you saw guys in the Test who were leaving the ball and edging them because the quickness of the pitch can draw you into a shot.

I thought it was a good cricket wicket, but certainly not a 130-odd all-out one.

For me, it will be interesting to see what pitch they prepare for the fourth Test at Trent Bridge next week. I have played there when it has seamed all over and we rolled out Notts for 69 and also when there has been one innings per side. You never know what you are going to get at Trent Bridge, but I just hope there’s some pace and bounce in the pitch.

I was pleased for Steven Finn at Edgbaston. He’s a real success story as people really wrote him off a few years ago and there was the stuff about him being unselectable.

But he’s always had all the attributes and is a natural wicket-taker.

Even when he bowls badly, he still gets wickets and he’s bowling good pace at the minute.

When you have a guy who is 6ft 6in bowling at 90 mph, he is always going to be tough.

As for me, my wrist is a bit sore after injuring it in the recent Championship match. It was lingering around and was starting to affect my batting and it came to a head, so I’ve had an injection.

But after missing a few one-day games, I should be okay for Scarborough next week.

***Andrew Gale’s column is in association with Blacks Solicitors***

Pupils from Todmorden High School issued a desperate plea to the government to rebuild their school.

Towards the end of the school year, every pupil at the school took the time to write a letter to Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education, to lobby for national funding for a full rebuild of their school.

The school, thought to be one of the worst conditioned schools in the Calder Valley, has been promised funding for a new building over the last decade.

But changes in the political landscape meant this essential funding never materialised. In autumn 2014, the school and local authority put forward a bid for funding through the ‘Priority Schools Building Fund 2’ framework, but once again missed out.

While the local authority has committed to spending £5m on a new building for the school, the school say this will only be enough funding to replace part of the school.

Headteacher, Andrew Whitaker, said “Todmorden High School is a community school and we have a wonderful cohort of well-mannered students who all have very high aspirations.

“All adults associated with the school are committed to ensuring that we become an outstanding school and the quality of our building will not stop this from happening.

“In saying this, we do find it increasingly difficult to deliver a modern curriculum in a school where facilities and resources have not been updated, in many cases, since the school was built.

“We are committed to securing the very best education for our community, it is now time for the Government to recognise that our students also deserve much better facilities and resources.”

Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker, said: “Obtaining the funding which Todmorden High needs remains an absolute priority for me and I will not stop lobbying ministers and civil servants until we receive the money that the school requires. Since the General Election I have had two meetings about funding – one with the Education Secretary and the other with her Special Advisors. I am also due to meet the Chancellor after the summer recess to discuss this very issue.

“I commend the students for having the initiative to write to the Secretary of State and I’m sure that they will have been able to convey how much the school requires this funding and the benefits that this will bring,” added Mr Whittaker.

There was a happy ending for a young girl left devastated by the theft of her tablet when a kind-hearted stranger stepped in to replace the stolen device.

Amelia Higgings, five, was inconsolable when her Samsung Tab3 was stolen from the Lidl supermarket, Halifax Road, Todmorden, on July 19.

Amelia had left the device, a birthday present, on top of a fruit display in the store and after realising, ran back but found it had been taken.

But when Amelia’s mum, Jade Ledgister, posted details of the theft across the internet, a stranger made the young girl’s day by providing a new tablet, completely free of charge.

Miss Ledgister, 30, of Mytholmroyd, said: “She was heartbroken and I am absolutely devastated.

“We’ve had a bad year, she lost her grandad in January, I had a brain operation in April and then in June I was rushed to hospital with meningitis and this has just topped it off.

“I’m absolutely disgusted that someone could take it from a five-year-old girl.

“ I was crying my eyes out.

“Her dad has been working hard so she can have nice things.

“It’s the lowest of the low after the year she has had.”

But Miss Ledgister said she was “speechless” when the tablet was replaced.

“I just want to be able to give him something back to show how much we appreciate it, “ she added.

The man, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s just helping a child to not be affected by the consequences of selfish actions.”

Officers from the Neighbourhood policing team are currently investigating the incident and have been speaking with the victim and the store.

Scores of visitors have arrived in Hebden Bridge to mark one of the biggest events in the town’s calendar.

Around 9,000 people are expected to pay a visit to the town’s charity vintage weekend at Calder Holme Park, now in its 33rd year.

The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Hebden Bridge, is well established as a premier attraction for the display of around 600 veteran, vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, military and commercial vehicles.

Today’s (Saturday) displays include classic cars (1971-1993), motorcycles (1971-1993), Rolls Royce and Bentleys (any age), replica or kit cars (any age), military vehicles (any age), tractors (registered before 1993) and pre 1971 registered vehicles and novelty vehicles.

Tomorrow’s (Sunday) attractions will include veteran and vintage cars (up to 1930), post vintage cars (1931-1939), post war cars (1940-1960/1961-1972), motorcycles up to 1972, American vehicles up to 1972, military vehicles (any age).

The weekend-long event also includes live music, fun rides for children, craft and product stalls, plus a wide range of refreshment outlets.

Additional car parking and toilets are in place for the weekend, which will be clearly signposted.

Funds raised from the weekend will help support a wide variety of charities, good causes and individuals in need.

Visit www.hebdenbridge-vintageweekend.org.uk or www.facebook.com/hebdenbridgevintageweekend for more information.

People throughout Yorkshire used today (Saturday) to celebrate the best of God’s Own Country.

More and more villages, towns and cities get involved with local festivities on Yorkshire Day, August 1, with each passing year.

Pictured are a group of regional revellers at the Woolshops Shopping Centre in Halifax.

How did you celebrate? Send us your pictures.

Despite their red-hot form, Halifax know First Utility Super League’s sides will be gunning for them from the off in The Qualifiers.

Richard Marshall’s side, who have won nine straight games in the Championship, face top-flight teams in both of their Super 8s opening games.

They host Widnes Vikings, who finished ninth in Super League, on Sunday August 9 and then head to 10th-placed Hull KR just a week later.

Coach Marshall admitted: “We do have two tough games to start - Widnes at home and Hull KR away.

“They are very difficult matches and those clubs will be looking at Halifax and probably circling them as a win.

“If I was at a Super League team, I’d probably be thinking the same looking at a part-time Championship club like us.

“But we are doing well. We’ve not lost since May and everyone is in a good spot.

“Confidence is important in play-offs games or cup finals - we’ve got that and now have seven cup finals to look forward.

“That’s reward for our players over the last few weeks.

“One of our targets at the start of the season was to make the top-four and qualify and we’ve done that.

“But we don’t want to make up the numbers now.”

Halifax claimed fourth spot in the Championship following that stunning run of results which included seeing them defeat rivals Bradford Bulls on Sunday.

They head to Bradford in the last of their seven Qualifiers rounds on September 27 and, by that point, will hope to be in the hunt for promotion even if others view them as rank outsiders.

Marshall added: “We want to go enjoy ourselves and there is a potential for this club to get back into Super League now.

“It looks like you might need four wins to get up or, depending on results, three might be enough (for the Million Pound Game).

“We know the opposition is far higher than what we’ve played this year but against those (top) Championship teams we’ve played we haven’t rolled over once and I don’t want us to do that.

“I want us to be competitive. We’re in good form, confident and we can be a dangerous team.

“Maybe clubs need to look at our defensive record as well; we have the second best defensive record in the competition which is good.

“We like to defend tough. I hope we sustain that. I would hate to get beat but really hate to get beat and turned over.

“I don’t think we will. It’s not in our make-up.”

Halifax train three nights per week plus a “top-up” session for those players who can finish work early on Thursdays.

They are unlikely to be able to increase that schedule in the coming weeks but Marshall did say: “I might add another top-up session. We’ve a couple of teachers who will be off over the summer so they could maybe do that.

“But I don’t want to change too much; we’ve had a good time this year with what we’ve done and it’s worked.

“Our scrutiny of opposition needs to intensify, though. We’re going to play Widnes first up and Kevin Brown who is a world-class player in my opinion.

“We need to look at what other teams do. We’re pretty well-versed now in the Championship but we need to look at Super League teams in a bit more depth”

Reassuringly, though, ‘Fax have almost a full clean bill of health.

“We’ve got Luke Ambler back plus Ross Divorty and Ben Kaye so Miles Greenwood is our only long-term absentee; we might have our strongest team of the season out for Widnes in that first game.”

Elland were beaten 14-6 at home by Ince Rose Bridge in Division One of the Conference yesterday, poor handling costing them in the damp conditions.

Karl Fairbank’s side were solid in defence, keeping the visitors from Wigan at bay for the first 30 minutes.

Ince, who started the day five places above their hosts, made the most of a pass wide and secured the first points.

Elland twice got over the visitors’ line but were unable to ground the ball and that cost them in the final analysis.

Turning round 6-0 down, Elland stepped up their game and repeatedly ran the ball down the middle and into Ince territory. However, their handling let them, down at crucial stages.

Star man Andy Shickell eventually crossed for the home side and Ben Anderson.

Bridge were their own worst enemies, disagreeing among themselves to the amusement of home spectators, but still hammered a final nail in the coffin to ensure victory.

Ovenden took the spoils at Four Fields yesterday with a 26-16 victory over neighbours Illingworth in the Yorkshire Men’s Premier derby clash.

In a match littered with handling errors in persistent rain, the hosts took the lead on 12 minutes, Michael Joyce touching down for a converted try.

Illingworth responded almost immediately, Luke Sutcliffe regathering his own short kick off and setting the platform for an assault on the opposition line.

From a penalty the ball was shifted right and Sutcliffe found Dez Morris, who dummied his way over. Sutcliffe converted to level the scores.

Ovenden regained the lead as the half hour approached, Harry Bromyard finishing a neat handling move with a touchdown near the corner flag.

A minute from the break the lead was extended to 16-6, impressive Jake Kennedy out-pacing the cover to gather a sixth tackle kick and go behind the posts.

Two minutes after the break the visitors cut the deficit to four points. They went close on the left and when the ball was quickly moved to the right Adam Millns finished in the corner. Sutcliffe converted from the touchline.

Kennedy restored the 12 point advantage three minutes later, scooting in from dummy half for a converted try.

With the slope now in their favour Illingworth pressed the home line, only to be denied by loose handling.

As the hour mark passed they finally managed to put together a passing move involving Sutcliffe and Scott Allen to put Millns over in the left hand corner.

Joyce capped Ovenden’s hard-earned win with 10 minutes remaining, crossing in the corner for an unconverted try.

Booth and Sowerby St Peter’s were the big winners in a rain-ravaged Foster’s Halifax League programme on Saturday.

It is ‘game on’ in the Premier Division title race after Booth beat visitors Queensbury by 103 runs to slash Jer Lane’s lead at the top to five points.

It looks ‘game over’ in Division One after Sowerby St Peter’s registered an 85-run home win over Luddenden Foot to extend their advantage over second-placed Northowram Hedge Top to 28 points with six games to go.

There were also wins for Shelf and Outlane in Division Two in other reduced overs contests.

Friday’s forecast of just a light shower for the following day proved inaccurate with a couple of hours of rain arriving after lunch.

That put paid to most Halifax League games but four first team contests were completed and in all cases the home sides were rewarded for their efforts to get their grounds playable.

Booth, second in the Premier, made 200 for seven at home to relegation-threatened Queensbury and then bowled out their visitors for 97.

Robert Laycock scored his second successive unbeaten century, following up his 107 against Copley with 105.

He and Rob Worsnop (30) put on 50 for the first wicket to help Booth to a good score off 25 overs.

Usman Saghir then took four wickets and Ollie Collinge and Richard Laycock three each as the visitors failed to take any batting points.

It was also 25 overs per side at Sowerby but the hosts needed only 21 to bowl out bottom side Luddenden Foot for 76 after making 161 for six themselves.

Ryan Brook hit 68 at the top of the home order and Gavin Clarke (24) and Martin Schofield (25) also chipped in. Ollie and Tom Hosker took five wickets between them.

Opening bowler Matthew Hoyle then stole the show for Sowerby, taking eight for 51, and his side could have the silverware sewn up in time for him to start the rugby union season with Old Brodleians in a month’s time.

Division Two leaders Great Horton Park Chapel suffered a rare defeat in a 26 overs per side contest at Shelf but still picked up four points - the same as teams whose games didn’t start.

Shelf’s Steve Priestley made 71 before falling to five-wicket Richard Hassall. Priestley’s opening partner Bill Sugden finished unbeaten on 14 having retired hurt in the sixth over but returned to the crease at the fall of the ninth wicket.

Richard Ramsden is making a habit of being a Shelf match-winner and he came up trumps again with six for 50 as Chapel were dismissed for 126, Waseem Chaudhry (43) giving the visitors a temporary lift after they had been 40 for five.

Outlane went above Old Crossleyans into second place but were given a scare by Denholme Clough before emerging winners by four runs in a 27 overs per team game up by the M62.

Opener Lee Mellor made 45 before Calum Westwood (54 no) and Chris Brook (64 no) sent the scoreboard spinning with an unbroken stand of 113 to take the score to 200 for three.

Clough were unfazed by the assault and half-centuries from Imran Aslam and Mohammed Asif took them close at 196 for seven.

Another game started in the Premier at Sowerby Bridge. Triangle, who are back at Walton Street today for their Parish Cup final meeting with Mytholmroyd, were 41 without loss after four overs when play was halted.

There was little reported action involving Calderdale teams in out of town leagues with Lightcliffe, Brighouse, Barkisland, Elland, Illingworth and Walsden among those whose games failed to start.

Northowram Fields did manage 28 overs of play at Wakefield in the Central Yorkshire League’s Championship, hosts Azaad reaching 76 for four.

FOSTER’S HALIFAX LEAGUE

Premier Division

Booth v Queensbury

Booth won by 109 runs. Booth 12 pts, Queensbury 2 pts.

BOOTH 200 for seven

R Worsnop run out 31

Rob Laycock not out 105

J Midgley c Osborne b Singh 5

R Laycock c Slator b Singh 19

H Wajid c Ali b Singh 9

N Horsfall b Singh 14

U Saghir c Osborne b Singh 2

D Moore run out 5

M Ayub not out 5

Extras 10

Bowling: M Johnson 6 0 45 0, G Singh 12 0 76 5, A Ali 5 0 48 0, P Sharples 2 0 21 0

QUEENSBURY 91

A Ali c Cockroft b Collinge 1

D Crosland c Cockroft b Saghir 5

A Sharif lbw b Collinge 27

G Singh c Moore b Collinge 2

S Osborne c Cockroft b Saghir 1

N Richardson c Laycock b Saghir 3

J Priestley not out 15

J Slator c Worsnop b Saghir 9

P Sharples c Cockroft b Laycock 6

M Bruce c Ayub b Laycock 6

M Johnson c Worsnop b Laycock 11

Extras 5

Bowling: U Saghir 7 0 27 4, O Collinge 5 0 33 3, M Ayub 5 3 10 0, Rich Laycock 3 1 17 3.

Division One

Sowerby St Peters v Luddenden Foot

Sowerby won by 85 runs Sowerby 12 pts, Ludd Foot 1 pt.

SOWERBY ST PETERS 161 for six

R Brook b T Hosker 68

B Watkins c Pinder b Hosker 4

H Bruce c T Hosker b O Hosker 8

G Clarke c Cleary b T Hosker 24

M Schofield c O Hosker b T Hosker 25

G Hayes st Pinder b Hemingway 2

A Green not out 6

M Hoyle not out 6

Extras 18

Bowling: J Stott 7 1 30 0, O Hosker 6 0 36 2, T Hosker 6 0 32 3, O Hemingway 6 0 49 1.

LUDDENDEN FOOT 76

J Cleary c Schofield b Hoyle 10

O Hosker b Hoyle 4

O Hemingway c Brook b Hoyle 15

G Hall c & b Schofield 1

J Cox c Watkins b Hoyle 22

J Stott b Hoyle 7

J Hothersall c Hayes b Hoyle 1

T Hosker lbw b Hoyle 0

O Bairstow c Bruce b Hoyle 7

N Hosker c Hoyle b Schofield 2

R Pinder not out 5

Bowling: M Schofield 12 1 24 2, M Hoyle 11 1 51 8.

Division Two

Outlane v Denholme Clough C

Outlane won by 4 runs. Outlane 11 pts, Denholme Clough 3 pts

OUTLANE 200 for three

L Mellor c M Hussain b Hanif 45

A Blagborough run out 20

A Holding run out 0

C Westwood not out 54

C Brook not out 64

Extras 17

Bowling: Z Arif 3 0 33 0, A Hanif 8 1 62 1, T Aslam 9 1 55 0, M Asif 3 0 23 0, M Hussain 1 0 16 0.

DENHOLME CLOUGH 196 for seven

I Aslam c Blagborough b Dorotiak 53

S Hussain c Davies b Wrigley 0

S Khan run out 24

M Yousaf b Dorotiak 6

M Asif not out 57

M Ali lbw b Dorotiak 0

T Aslam c Roberts b Holding 11

A Hanif b Holding 1

M Khan not out 28

Extras 16

Bowling: A Blagborough 6 0 35 0, J Wrigley 5 0 30 1, A Dorotiak 5 0 44 3, A Holding 8 1 42 2, C Westwood 3 0 40 0.

Shelf v Great Horton PC

Shelf won by 40 runs. Shelf 12 pts, Great Horton PC

SHELF 166

B Sugden not out 14

S Priestley c Brown b Hassall 71

C Roberts b Jordan 6

C Green c Anderson b Hassall 28

L Butterfield c Anderson b Syed 5

B Malik c Anderson b Syed 7

C Wolfenden b Syed 12

N Armitage b Hassall 11

R Ramsden st Brown b Hassall 5

A Dimbleby run out 5

M Dimbleby c Brown b Hassall 0

Extras 2

Bowling: M Jordan 6 0 34 1, H Syed 5 0 40 0, R Hassall 8 0 47 5, P Fenton 2 0 23 0, A Syed 5 0 20 3.

GREAT HORTON PC 126

R Hassall c Butterfield b Priestley 26

C Brown c Butterfield b Ramsden 4

A Beesley lbw b Priestley 6

A Syed c Sugden b Ramsden 1

P Artist b Ramsden 0

M Jordan c Sugden b Armitage 16

W Chaudhry c & b Ramsden 43

S Fenton c Wolfenden b Armitage 13

P Fenton b Ramsden 0

H Syed c Wolfenden b Ramsden 3

D Anderson not out 1

Extras 13

Bowling: R Ramsden 12 1 50 6, S Priestley 7 0 41 2, N Armitage 5 0 25 2.

CENTRAL YORKSHIRE LEAGUE

Championship

Azaad v Northowram Fields

Match abandoned

AZAAD 76 for four

Z Zulfqar c Mahmood b Parkin 12

T Hussain lbw b Khan 5

M Badat b Khan 1

H Mahboob c Metcalf b Norcliffe 4

I Mahboob not out 27

R Subhani not out 13

Extras 14

Bowling: Z Khan 11 4 22 2, W Parkin 6 3 13 1, J Lee 8 3 18 0, J Norcliffe 3 1 15 1.

A driver who decided he had no time for motorway queues by driving the WRONG way down the M621 yesterday.

The image of the incident, in which the driver of the silver Vauxhall Insignia was reported for dangerous driving, was tweeted last night just before 9pm – hours after Leeds United’s pre-season victory over Everton at Elland Road.

Police witnessed the driver driving against traffic on the M621 near junction four at Hunslet.

West Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Unit tweeted: “Driver decided he didn’t want to wait and decided to drive the wrong way. Reported for dangerous driving.”

Triangle became the most successful club in Parish Cup history with a convincing six-wicket success over Mytholmroyd at Sowerby Bridge today.

A third-wicket stand of 117 between Gary Rodger and Christian Silkstone paved the way for them to move smoothly past ‘Royd’s below-par 177 all out.

The Grassy Bottom club were lifting the trophy for the 12th time in the competition’s 128-year history, one more than now-defunct Halifax CC.

A cold, damp and grey morning gave way to bright sunshine and the improving weather attracted a bumper crowd of 1,050 to Walton Street, where Bridge are always superb final hosts.

A close game had been predicted between two free-scoring Premier Division sides. However, it was Triangle’s day from the moment Silkstone won the toss in the Briggs Priestley Engravers-sponsored contest.

Saturday’s rain meant there was sure to be some early assistance for the bowlers and ‘Royd, who have themselves won the Halifax League’s main knockout competition nine times, were always struggling to post a decent total.

Luke Sutcliffe’s 29 was the top contribution and their best stand was one of 31 for the ninth wicket.

Triangle produced a disciplined bowling performance, spearheaded by Kurtis Whippey and young left-armer Tom Fryer.

They took a wicket each in successive overs, Steve Senior dollying a catch to Ryan O’Neill at square leg and the impatient Zeb Mahmood being bowled to leave ‘Royd 21 for two after eight.

Opener Spencer Harris (26) and Luke Sutcliffe (29) tried to repair the damage but experienced medium pacer Dave Turner undermined ‘Royd’s efforts in a performance which earned him the man of the match award from Southowram’s Pete Jowett.

Turner trapped Harris leg before and then bowled Adie Gawthrope - who had survived loud caught behind appeals earlier - and Chris Overend.

When Sutcliffe’s mis-hit was scooped up by the bucket-sized hands of Carl Fletcher off Martin Uttley’s bowling, Royd had lurched to 96 for six in the 30th over.

Jacob Travis (27) led a determined rearguard action from ‘Royd which ended when the young wicketkeeper holed out to Whippey off Fletcher’s bowling in the penultimate over.

The total looked 50 short but Amjid Azam gave ‘Royd a glimmer of hope by dismissing openers Neil Uttley and then Nathan Madden to leave Triangle 48 for two in the 16th over.

However, the stand between Rodger and Silkstone, whose batting styles are like chalk and cheese, quickly tipped the scales firmly Triangle’s way.

The experienced Rodger, who started the season playing in Triangle’s thirds due to his postman duties on a Saturday, is rock solid in defence and works the ball around the field.

He claims to “only hit the ball on the carpet” and proved the point with 12 fours in his 61.

Silkstone, who spend last winter cricketing in Australia, is a sweet timer who is not afraid to go aerial.

While it might have proved his undoing on a couple of occasions he cleared the boundary edge six times.

His 74 earned him the trophy presented in the memory of another Triangle player, Brian Hunter, for the game’s highest score.

Once the pair had seen off the threat of returning paceman Jack Earle, victory looked a formality but both Silkstone and then Rodger fell with victory in sight.

It was left to Fletcher, who hit the biggest of sixes with the scores level, to spark the Triangle celebrations.

Parish Cup final

Mytholmroyd v Triangle

Triangle won by 6 wkts

MYTHOLMROYD 177

S Harris lbw b Turner 26

S Senior c O’Neill b Whippey 10

Z Mahmood b Fryer 0

L Sutcliffe c Fletcher b Uttley 29

A Gawthrope b Turner 15

C Overend b Turner 5

J Cowens c Madden b M Uttley 13

J Travis c Whippey b Fletcher 27

J Earle run out 14

A Azam b Uttley 19

D Murgatroyd not out 2

Extras 17

Bowling: K Whippey 9 1 24 1, T Fryer 9 1 27 1, C Fletcher 9 0 47 1, D Turner 9 3 28 3, M Uttley 8 1 36 3.

TRIANGLE 183 for four

N Madden lbw b Azam 24

N Uttley c Mahmood b Azam 2

G Rodger b Murgatroyd 61

C Silkstone c & b Cowens 74

D Crosland not out 9

C Fletcher not out 8

Extras 5

Bowling: J Earle 9 3 56 1, A Azam 9 3 51 2, Z Mahmood 3 0 21 0, A Gawthrope 9 0 25 0, J Cowens 5 0 28 1, D Murgatroyd 6.1 1 33 1.

Didn’t bat: D Turner, M Uttley, R O’Neill, T Fryer, K Whippey.

Umpires: Ken Campbell and Steve Booth

Halifax-Huddersfield’s hopes of winning the Yorkshire Inter-District Union title received a potentially shattering blow yesterday.

Dave Pullen’s side were crushed 30-6 by powerful Sheffield in the battle of the top two at Halifax Golf Club.

Halifax-Huddersfield had gone into the contest with four wins out of four this season while Sheffield, a Union with many more clubs to draw players from, had lost just once.

The writing was on the wall after the morning foursomes, in which the hosts won only the bottom match out of six through Dewsbury’s Dan Hartley and Crow Nest Park’s Ben Adamson.

Home club player Jamie Smith was the only Halifax-Huddersfield winner in 12 afternoon singles matches.

He was a 4 & 3 victor while Outlane’s Jarrad Hazelden and Halifax’s Mark Birkett halved their matches.

One-handicapper Sam Bridges won Saturday’s 36-hole Lord Mexborough Cup, the climax to Bradley Hall’s Open Week.

Bridges had a nett 139 to win by two shots from Paul Taylor.

Scores: 1, Sam Bridges 139; 2, Paul Taylor 141; 3, Andy Fitzpatrick 142; 4, Andy Shaw 142; 5, A Hare 143; 6, A.T.Guest 143; 7, M.E.Lord 144; 8, A.Park 144; 9, M.Holroyde 144; 10, M.Shea 144.

THE Robson brothers like batting at Leeds.

Last year, Sam Robson scored his solitary Test century against Sri Lanka at Headingley.

Yesterday, Angus Robson, three years his junior, made his career-best one-day innings at the ground too.

In both cases, though, it was in a losing cause: Sri Lanka beating England by 100 runs, and Yorkshire defeating Leicestershire by 31 runs, a win that all but mathematically booked their place in the quarter-finals with two games to go.

Both Robson brothers were born in Sydney – Angus in the same Darlinghurst suburb as Yorkshire first-team coach Jason Gillespie.

Both siblings, too, could be mistaken for the other, solid in defence and compact of method.

But when Angus narrowly failed to emulate his brother by reaching a hundred here, falling 10 runs short when he clipped Will Rhodes to Alex Lees at mid-wicket, so the outcome of the match was effectively decided.

Leicestershire, chasing 278, had slipped to 166-4 in the 38th over, and the required run-rate had soared above nine.

In warm and sometimes sunny conditions, and before a crowd of 4,021, the two innings evolved in similar style.

Both sides should have scored more, Yorkshire from a platform of 198-2 in the 36th over and Leicestershire from a foundation of 159-2 in the 35th.

Yorkshire got up to 277-9 from their 50 overs, Lees top-scoring with 75 from 110 balls with five fours, while Leicestershire managed 246.

Defeat effectively ended the visitors’ interest in the tournament, while Yorkshire can already contemplate the knockout stages ahead of their last two group games against Somerset at Scarborough tomorrow and Northamptonshire at Headingley a fortnight today.

With Gary Ballance missing with a tight hamstring, and Liam Plunkett unavailable due to the fourth Test against Australia, Yorkshire showed two changes to the side that beat holders Durham the previous day.

Richard Pyrah, the club’s beneficiary this year, made a rare appearance, while 19-year-old Academy all-rounder Matthew Waite played only his second List A match.

Six of the Leicestershire side had played fewer than 10 List A fixtures, which highlighted the extent of the challenge they faced.

After losing the toss, Yorkshire prevailed fairly comfortably in the end against a club who have nevertheless been a bogey one for them in one-day cricket, having won 16 of the previous 19 completed List A meetings prior to this match, including 10 of the last 11 in Yorkshire.

That record never looked likely to be extended as the Yorkshire openers Lees and Andrew Hodd gave their team an excellent start.

Hodd, habitually underrated, showed his class with a number of handsome strokes, while Lees has run into form lately after a sticky patch.

With a mixture of skill and style, the pair added 80 in 15 overs before Hodd ran himself out after chancing a quick single off Rob Taylor to Ned Eckersley at mid-wicket.

Another who has run into form lately is Glenn Maxwell, and he also played some nice shots after receiving a life on two when he was dropped by Michael Burgess at mid-off from the off-spin of Rob Sayer.

It was a hard-hit opportunity, evidenced by the fact that the ball flew away from fingers to fence.

Maxwell was second out at 129 when he skied Sayer to Aadil Ali at long-on before Lees went to his second Royal London fifty in three games from 76 balls with five fours.

But Lees’s dismissal triggered the collapse from 198-2, Jack Leaning following for a second-ball duck when he got a leading edge off Taylor to Robson.

Yorkshire managed only 56 runs from the final 10 overs. Rhodes was bowled by Ben Raine, having made a one-day best 46 from 51 balls with five fours, while Adil Rashid slapped the same bowler to mid-off.

Tim Bresnan holed out to long-on off the former Yorkshire pace bowler Clint McKay, who had Pyrah caught at point and then bowled Steve Patterson to finish with his side’s best figures of 
3-47.

In reply, Leicestershire started well before Fisher bowled Mark Cosgrove with the score on 49.

Leicestershire fell to 87-2 when Maxwell bowled Eckersley, but Robson and Ali added 72 in 15 overs before Ali sliced Rashid to short third-man.

After Robson’s removal, Niall O’Brien was bowled by Rhodes; Raine caught at cover off Bresnan; Burgess bowled by Fisher; Sayer caught by wicketkeeper Hodd after skying Bresnan; McKay held on the leg-side off Fisher; and Taylor caught at long-on off Patterson.

Fisher’s 3-32 was a one-day career-best, while Rhodes finished with 2-25.

Clubs in the Foster’s Halifax Cricket League will make the final decision as to whether it should be part of the YCB pyramid structure.

The league’s executive, in a statement released today, said four regional workshops would be held next month to demonstrate where clubs might slot into the system.

The matter would be debated at the October league meeting and a vote taken by the clubs at the AGM in November.

The statement warns that the proposals “will divide opinion and evoke emotive debate.”

The first steps towards creating a Yorkshire pyramid for club cricket will take place next season with the creation of Yorkshire Premier Cricket.

It will feature four premier leagues which will all have partner leagues beneath them.

It aims to have the top players and teams playing on the finest grounds in a competition that will showcase the best of league cricket in Yorkshire.

Focus is now switching to lower levels of the pyramid, which will have promotion and relegation throughout.

The statement is as follows:

Following the joint statement recently published by the Bradford Cricket League and the Central Yorkshire Cricket League, in relation to the proposed merger of the two leagues as part of the proposed West Yorkshire Pyramid structure, the Foster’s Halifax League (HCL) Executive is outlining its own position.

It has been involved in the discussions and negotiations with the YCB Board for the proposed structure from the outset and, along with three other West Yorkshire leagues, has taken a very active role in shaping the future of an exciting and challenging development for cricket in the region.

Some other leagues immediately opted out, without any consultation with their clubs, and unfortunately have thus not played any part in this process.

The HCL Executive however strongly believed it vitally important that it had a seat at the table to be in control of its own destiny, whatever that may be.

To bring its 30 clubs up to speed it will be holding four regional workshops in September, interactive with Q & A sessions, where it will present the proposed structure and its ramifications.

A full discussion on the subject for all clubs will follow at the October League meeting with key officials from the YCB/ West Yorkshire Management Board taking part in a further Q & A session.

A vote will follow at the November AGM where clubs will decide whether to join the new structure. The Executive will recommend its position on the matter but only the member clubs will make the final decision.

The HCL recognises that the proposed changes are significant and it will divide opinion and evoke emotive debate.

The Executive is determined however to ensure that all clubs are in possession of all the facts.

Collectively the League will make an objective and informed decision as to where the future lies in the ever-changing cricket world and in its quest to aspire to be the best amateur league in the region.