Cricket clubs from Yorkshire are gearing up for mouthwatering quarter-finals in national competitions over the next few weeks.
New Farnley beat holders Ormskirk by 79 runs to claim a quarter-final spot in the Rothesay National Club Championship.
On Sunday 12 July, their imposing total of 313-5 off 40 overs was underpinned by Ryan McKendry’s 77 and Ed Brown’s unbeaten 88 in the middle order.
Fletcher Coutts contributed a rapid knock of 44 off 17 balls to drive home the advantage.
📸 Photo: Fletcher Coutts by Ray Spencer
Bradford Premier-League showdown
In reply, the reigning Bradford Premier League champions (third place to date in the league) took regular wickets with Abhay Negi (2-28) and Gurman Randhawa (2-51) successful up front. Fletcher Coutts (above) capped a fine display with 3-28, including the key wicket of Marlon Welcome-Goodman.
Welcome-Goodman (102 off 61 balls) had threatened to crash the party but Reuben Majithia (3-28) helped mop up the tail as New Farnley eased home.
New Farnley’s reward? An all-Yorkshire Bradford Premier-League showdown on 2 August against Woodlands who beat Leyland by 70 runs in a commanding away victory in Lancashire.
The Round 4 victory saw Woodlands put into bat and their tally of 267-5 was engineered courtesy of Brad Schmulian’s 91 (below) and Henry Pearson’s unbeaten 95.
The opening bowling attack of Noah Priestley (2-34) and Muhammad Bilal (3-41) then struck early for Woodlands.
Only Xander Eyre’s fifty offered flickering defiance but Woodlands – out front in the Bradford Premier League – rotated their bowlers profitably. Identical sub-five-runs-an-over economy from Pearson (0-36) and Elliot Richardson (1-36) tightened the screw.
Brad Schmulian’s 3-48, with a run out for good measure, ensured the Oakenshaw side marched on. Woodlands and New Farnley know each other very well and it does mean that there will definitely be a Yorkshire club in the semi-final of the ECB National Club Championship.
📸 Photo: Brad Schmulian by Ray Spencer
Ormskirk’s defeat removes an obstacle that has thwarted Yorkshire’s bid previously as Woodlands lost to them in a Round 4 tie two years ago.
We are entering rare territory.
Not since Richmondshire (in 2023) has a Yorkshire club reached the semi-finals and it doesn’t happen too often. On that occasion, Cuckney triumphed and went on to win the title. In 2026, whoever triumphs between LS12 & BD12 is tantalisingly close to a final in London.
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In the National Village Cup, Woodhouse Grange are at home against Sacriston in the quarter-final of the National Village Cup on Sunday 19 July. The four-times Village Cup winners (1995, 2007, 2014 and 2015) swept aside Alvanley in Round 6 by six wickets. Their reward is a home tie to potentially take them two games from Lord’s.
Stayley & Fox Granta, last year’s Village Cup finalists, are both already knockout out so opportunity knocks for those still in the draw this season.
The Women’s ECB Club T20 Cup is at the group finals stage with Sessay Emeralds travelling to Cheshire to take on Lindow on Sunday 19 July. Wins against York, Rawdon and Durham City for the North Yorkshire side means they’re one match away from a national semi-final – essentially another Yorkshire quarter-final!
Their previous match saw a clinical eight-wicket win in Durham with the hosts bundled out for 95. Sessay’s bowling attack saw Amy Burton (2-22) well supported by her team-mates.
Economy from C. Fairclough (1-10) and J. Passman (1-13) helped restrict Durham City to under a hundred. The comfortable run chase was expertly led by Amy Burton (37 not out – pictured above).
Lindow will likely prove a likely next challenge for the Emeralds as the Cheshire club have racked up heavy victories across June and into July.
Sessay are aiming to emulate – and surpass – last year’s efforts that saw them reach the national women’s semi-finals before defeat to Copdock & Old Ipswichian.
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