CAWTHORNE CC are close to securing an immediate return to the ECB Yorkshire Premier South ahead of a top-of-the-table clash tomorrow.
They are 16 points clear at the top of the Championship after a 150-run win at home to bottom club Conisbrough. They face second-placed Wickersley on Saturday.
Cawthorne are 20 points clear in the promotion places with four games left.
Captain Mike Jepps said: “It should be a good game. It’s nice to have a 16-point cushion and it gives us insurance to play with freedom and know that, if we lose, we are still in a good position.
“But I would back us to beat them. We will have a full strength side with players back from holiday and injury.
“It would be nice to put more distance between us and them.
“We’re not quite there yet but a win on Saturday would pretty much guarantee promotion.
“That’s been our aim all season.”
Against Conisbrough, George Charnock carried his bat with 111 which included 12 fours and three sixes.
Archie Greaves then hit four sixes in his unbeaten 43 off 20 balls.
Cawthorne made 257 for five then dismissed their visitors for 107 with the league’s top wicket-taker Methushan Thilina taking five for 17 off 9.5 overs.
“It was a tough one.
“I know Conisbrough are bottom but they have a good overseas who can bowl teams out.
“We won the toss and chose to bat which has worked well all season.
“We can bat teams out of the game.
“We had a player away so I moved George Charnock up to open the batting.
“He’s been good at six or seven this season and deserved a chance.
“It paid off with his first hundred in senior cricket. He was excellent.
“We also gave a first team debut to Joseph Hayes who is 14 and plays for Yorkshire’s youth teams.”
Cawthorne are due to play in the Club T20 Plate north regional final next week at Elsecar after winning their league’s Twenty20 cup. The winner reaches the national final at Derbyshire CCC.
Houghton Main are fifth, ten points off the top two, after dismissing Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nd XI for 112 in a five-wicket win. Dylan Smythe took four wickets and Vikas Dixit three.
Darfield fell eight runs short chasing Sprotbrough’s 125. Saman Khursheed took four wickets.
Wath fell 25 runs short chasing 194 at Sprotbrough. Shawn Hopkins took three wickets. Wath are second-bottom and 16 points adrift of safety.
