HAT-TRICK HELPS TO WIN CUP

 By Brian Sanderson,

After missing a three car crash in Leeds and a traffic jam of parents taking their children home after the football, I arrived at Shaw Lane Barnsley. The match was the Cup Final of the Yorkshire ECB cup between   Yorshire Academy and Barnsley over 45 overs.As I arrived the Academy were 24 for 4 in the 10 over.Eliot Callis and Barny Gibson were batting after a good opening bowling by the Yorkshire Second teamer Wainman and the overseas player Zohaib Ahmad.

Gradually the the two batsman put on a partnership of  115 before Gibson was caught brilliantly by Azeem Rafiq, ex Yorkshire player, at gully for 45 of Wainman.

The weather was cloudy and there was a very cold north-easterly wind blowing which made watching the cricket hard going.Eliot Callis went on to score a excellent 84 which enabled the Academy to reach 191 which was a good recovery from the early loss of wickets.

After the break the openers of Zahaib Ahmed and Jason Booth but on a opening stand of 88 before the overseas player was caught by Shaw for a excellent 51. During his innings he suffered from cramp and had difficulty running and was refused a runner by Yorkshire captain, Will Rhodes . This caused a unpleasent situation which the game did not require and if Rhodes had acted in the spirit of cricket and allowed the runner ,this would not have happen.

 Zohaib Ahmed had to be persuaded to play today as he was flying back home this evening. He had a excellent match which made the game more interesting.After the opening stand wicket started falling quickly with the Yorkshire bowlers bowling a fuller lenght.This enabled Josh Shaw to get a hat-trick of L.B.W  which was the second hat trick by Academy bowler as Matthew Fisher got one yesterday.

The photograph shows Wainman out , being the third victim of the bowling of Shaw.He finished with 8-1-28-3.However it was the left arm spinner Karl Carver who had the best analysis

of 9-1-19-1 which caused the scoreboard pressure on the Barnsley players. In the thirty-ninth over  Barnsley were bowled out for 158 which did not look likely when the  Barnsley opening batters looked in control.This victory gave the Academy their second cup in  two days and the match was covered by Sky TV. After the final wicket the players rushed to  join their coaches.