THE 2008 BARRITT-STEPHENSON CUP
Denholme 62-4, Oakworth Sharks 63-3
At last a glimpse of summer and a Sandylands ground resplendent with colour and a substantial crowd for the 7th Barritt-Stephenson Cup Final.

Oakworth won the toss and asked first time finalists Denholme to bat first. Sporting proudly their club colours Navdeep Panesar and Jibrael Malik strode to the wicket to face Jack Keighley and Sam Nettleton from the Sharks attack. An opening maiden from the lanky Keighley raised the Sharks appetite but they were quickly dashed with 6 from Nettleton's first. With 4 overs gone the electronics showed 13-0 for the Denholme lads as the Sharks tried to tighten their grip. Panesar had got off the mark with a sweet boundary whilst Malik picked up singles from the few loose balls which came their way. Second pair bowlers Sharks skipper Ben Howell and Thomas Fothergill continued the semi-stranglehold conceding just 8 to see Denholme at 21-0 after 6 overs of tremendously high quality cricket. Finally the accurate Howell pierced the Panesar defence and 'Monty' was bowled middle stump for 13 at 22-1.

Another fine over from Fothergill kept new batsman and leading Denholme scorer Toby Priestley in check. Fothergill was kept on for his third over and with his second ball he had the stumps of Priestley in a mess for just 2. It was a major blow for Denholme as he had scored over 150 runs this season and naturally carried high hope of more. The new batsman was Denholme Captain Brad Greenwood who was bowled first ball by the cock-a-hoop Fothergill. The batsman was however re-instated when the Umpires called him back indicating "three behind square" fielders for Oakworth. It was a cruel blow for the young Oakworth bowler who might have had the opportunity for a rare Cup Final hat trick but was clearly fair for the batsman.

Left arm medium pacer Oliver Huck came into the attack and Greenwood celebrated his good fortune with the fourth boundary of the innings. The tally was 32-2 with Malik showing admirable defence whilst restricted by some top notch fielding from the marauding Sharks. Under-10 Dan Scott took a deserved wicket, caught and bowled, that of Greenwood for 6. The run rate had dropped markedly and after 14 overs the score stood at 43-3. The Sharks smelled blood as they kept the dangerous Malik quiet and Joseph Jagger was new to the crease. Seventh bowler William Rankin entered to apply pressure to the batsmen. The boundaries had dried up and eventually that pressure told and Rankin had the scalp of Jagger for 4 courtesy of a stunning diving catch from Oakworth Captain Ben Howell. The last over arrived with 57 runs showing and a 2 brought Jibrael Malik his 21 and retirement score and appreciative applause from the throng. Bowler Jack Keighley had a mini-attack of the nerves resulting in a few no balls and the innings ended at 62-4

The Oakworth bowling had been of the highest quality conceding just 4 boundaries and 7 extras. The talismanic Ben Howell arguably the pick of a very fine bunch. For Denholme the 21 from Jibrael Malik was a cornerstone whilst Navdeep Panesar had looked threatening in his knock of 13.

A nervous start from Jack Keighley and Oliver Huck came from some fine opening bowling from 9 year old Matthew Wear and Toby Priestley as the Denholme side set out to emulate the Sharks strangulation efforts. The strategy worked well with only 9 runs from the first 4 overs although there was the suspicion that the batsmen were marking time. The first ball from first change Jibrael Malik bowled Huck for 2 and Denholme had their early breakthrough. With Ben Howell now at the wicket the run scoring pace increased. By the 8th over the score stood at 28-1 and the Sharks began to accelerate. Declan Seddon and James Rogers came into the Denholme search for wickets but with no initial improvement.

There was retirement for the free-flowing Jack Keighley as the Sharks closed in on the Denholme target. Ben Howell too retired with victory in sight but then Sam Nettleton was run out for 4 perhaps attempting a run that didn't matter and soon after diminutive James Rogers bowled Jordan Powell for 0. It was left to Ben Wedge 8no and bowling hero Tom Fothergill 0no to see Oakworth over the line, which they did with 3.4 overs unused.

The Cup was handed by League Treasurer David Allen to Oakworth's Ben Howell and he also took the man-of-the-match for his catch, 1 for 8 and 21 runs.

 

THE TEAMS

Oakworth Sharks (from) Ben Howell, Jack Keighley, Oliver Huck, Thomas Fothergill, Sam Nettleton, Bradley Scrutton, Ben Wedge, Nicholas Sharples, Dan Scott, William Rankin, Jordan Powell, Tom Bradley Team Manager Mr. S Howell

Denholme Brad Greenwood (Capt), Matthew Wear, Toby Priestley, Jibrael Malik, Navdeep Panesar, Declan Seddon, James Rogers, Joseph Jagger, Harriet Phillips, Jacob Jagger, Joshua Pollard Team Manager Mr. D Wear

2006 Barritt-Stephenson Cup Final for under-11s, held at Denholme CC, Sunday 2nd July 2006

Blessed once again with a beautifully fine sunny morning , UAJCL staged its fifth Barritt-Stephenson Cup Final for u11s with a wonderful panoramic view from the hill-top ground of Denholme Cricket Club. Settle won the toss and asked Oakworth to bat first. First pairing George Ingham and Ben Howell faced up to Peter Cook and Jack Walker as the sun began to blaze. The young batsmen added 6 runs but the normally intact wicket of Ingham was snaffled twice to leave a deficit of 9 runs at 191-2. The aggressive Lewis Wrathall and compadre James Lee were next to try and restore parity for Oaks, which they did very well, Lewis taking all 12 but neither succumbed to the bowling. Last week's top pairing for Oakworth Jack Davison and Matty Lee picked up another 20 but for the loss of Lee's timbers to Peter Cook. At 215-3 the Worth Valley innings was poised and could go either way. Next pair Ben Fothergill and Jackson Rouse added 8 but Jackson was bowled by the leg-spin of the tiny John Davidson so no major progress for Oaks other than by the growing number of wides. Final pair William Wine and Jordan Bates also lost their wickets to Sean Curley and William Lamour as the Settle side, league losers to Oakworth, grew visibly in confidence. The admirable Peter Cook had returned 3-1-2-2 but his side had given 16 extras to the Cup holders. Oakworth with 6 wickets down, more than in their entire 2006 League programme, had concluded at 217-6 and a close encounter was expected after a mid-morning feast from the Denholme refreshment battalions.

Settle gambled with two top batsmen opening together and Robbie Davidson and Peter Cook duly smashed 19 runs to begin their assault on the lower than expected Oakworth total. However their joy was short lived as bowlers Rouse and Fothergill took their scalps three times to have Settle below 200 early in the innings. Jack "Whacker" Walker and the diminutive John Davidson also put bat firmly to ball annexing a very creditable 13 runs but the tenacity of the Oaks bowling was again in evidence with a wicket for George Ingham and a run out to further create slippage behind the required rate. Some equilibrium was re-established by Ben Williams & Lamour, followed by Curley & Ben Lee for an addition of 12 runs and no wicket losses. The Settle advance induced the collywobbles in Oakworth bowling and their normally exemplary lines went astray and the tally of wides mounted, taking Settle into the lead for the first time, by 2 runs. But the Oakworth strategy had been well thought out to keep back their skipper and talismanic leggie Jack Davison and his introduction completely phased the Settle attack. Freddie Taylor and Fraser Nowell tried hard to score taking five singles but Davison had three wickets and a run out during his spell. The Settle assault had been repelled and normal bowling service resumed for Oaks. The late order wicket loss plunged the Settle score line down to 189-10 and the Cup had been retained by Oaks by the margin of 28 runs.

League Chairman David Atkinson announced the man of the match as Jack Davison, amazingly playing in his fifth consecutive Cup Final; a fitting tribute. He also of course took the Cup back to Oakworth for a third time, twice in succession.

2005 Barritt-Stephenson Cup Final for under-11s, held at Earby CC, Sunday 3rd July 2005

Oaks u-11s came back from Earby triumphant in having won the u-11s Cup for the second time. The little lads took the shiny new Barritt-Stephenson Cup by 40-runs from 'home' club Earby. Oaks 213-3 didn't seem a huge score to defend but terrific bowling from all 9 bowlers ensured Earby lost 8 wickets steadily throughout their knock. Earby ended on 173-8. The 'real scores were Oakworth 37-3 and Earby 37-8 but the wicket loss difference proved crucial. Match Report:

Baking hot sun was the order of the day at Earby CC for the fourth UAJCL under-11s Cup Final. Oakworth won the toss and elected to bat first in their attempt to win back the Cup they last took in 2003. Openers Lewis Wrathall and Ben Fothergill calmly got Oaks off to a flier with two smooth boundaries from a confident young Ben. He made 9 and both kept their wickets intact. The Earby bowling was exemplary with little in the way of loose deliveries to hit. Captain Joe Hoyle and Matt Courtman similarly avoided the timber rattle and added another 4 to Oaks cause. Aggressive batting from Jason Roberts and George Ingham kept pressure on the Earby attack for another 9, 7 to Jason but crucially again without wicket loss. Oaks strength in 2005 had come from twin abilities in avoiding being out combined with straight accurate bowling to garner more wickets than the opposition. This final looked to be heading the same way until Arran Smith was out twice and his partner William Wine the once. Oaks score pegged back from 224 to 200 in a flash leaving last pair Jack Davison and Ben Howell 4 overs to re-build a target. The diminutive pairing did well claiming 11 runs and with extras the Oakworth score reached 213-3.

 

For Earby their accurate bowlers 'gave' Oaks just 3 extras in their 'real' score of 37-3 from the allotted 20 overs. Jake Ellis picked up 2-1 and newcomer Sam Wormwell 1-4 with the remainder keeping their concessions in single figures. After mid-innings butties and liquid refreshment the Earby innings commenced with the 'home' side looking to make early inroads. James Crozier did just that to give Oaks early warning that the absence of top man Chris Bowker would not be a handicap. Fielding at wide mid-on Lewis Wrathall back-pedalled up the famed Earby slope to grab the ball from Lewis Turner to knock the Earby run-rush back by 8 points. It was a stunning catch and immediately the Oakworth demeanour changed markedly. Alex Yates and Jake Ellis picked up 4 runs but by now Earby had already equalled Oakworth's wicket loss and stood at 188-3, with 25 required to win. The Earby batters were never able to close the gap as all Oaks bowlers except Matt Courtman got in on the wicket-taking act. Luke Hipgrave and Sam Wormwell added 3 but each lost their wicket. Andrew Rishton and Lois Hipgrave fared slightly worse with only 1 run coming but with another wicket loss apiece. Oakworth were following their season-long game plan to perfection and their bowlers proved once again their trump card. Ryan Sumner and Daniel Brayton, the last pair faced an almost impossible task of scoring over 40 to snatch back the trophy. Whilst Daniel was out once they did add 9 and the final Earby total stood at 173-8. In 'real' terms they scored 37-8 including 12 extras, the difference entirely down to wicket loss. League life-members Tom Barritt and Hugh Stephenson had provided a new Cup for the youngsters and they were on hand to pass the new pot to Oakworth skipper Joe Hoyle. The first of Earby's three tilt's at junior silverware foundered gallantly on their opponents well executed plan. The Umpires rightly adjudged the 'man of the match' award to go to Lewis Wrathall for that first game-changing catch off Fothergill.