Ahmed’s brilliance sends Uni Staff into the semis

12:30pm Saturday 5th July 2008

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UNIVERSITY of York Staff powered into the semi-finals of York Vale League’s HPH Cup thanks to a captain’s innings from Afaq Ahmed, writes Martin Jarred.

The skipper smashed 80 from 47 balls to overhaul Barmby Moor with one delivery to spare in a 20-over thriller on Tuesday night.

Moor made 122-5 thanks to an unbeaten 66 from Andrew Winn and were favourites to progress as Staff needed 12 off the last over. But Ahmed cracked a boundary, followed by a huge six, before snatching a single off the penultimate ball, getting home before a direct hit shattered the stumps.

Copmanthorpe booked their place in the last four with a dynamic late surge which completed a miserable weekend for Drax.

Division one leaders Drax, who lost for the first time this season the previous day, kept a tight rein on Cop thanks to Paul Smith’s 4-32, but in the last six overs the Barons Crescent side added 67 precious runs to post 177-8, Chris Hall top-scoring with 38.

That seemed to knock the stuffing out of Drax, whose batsmen could only muster 74 as Darren Hughes’ 4-28 sent them spinning to a 103-run defeat.

Cop will now face Bishopthorpe or holders Hemingbrough, who hope to play their tie at the third time of asking tomorrow.

More rain played havoc with the cup programme with several games called off for the second week running. The outstanding ties are scheduled for this weekend.

Of those played, Kelfield looked in trouble at 18-3 against Stockton & Hopgrove in the Scothern Construction Cup but, thanks to Neil Atkinson (36) and Seb Swain (32), recovered to finish on 129-9, Dan Fairclough taking 5-29. Stockton never got going with the bat against Phil Smith (5-30) and Andy Atkinson (4-14), losing by 32 runs.

Stockton’s second team crashed out of the Premier Sports Cup as they were thrashed by nine wickets by Burn II, whose Graham Parker led the way with 59no.

That fine knock was topped by Greg Sykes’ unbeaten 65 for Heworth, whose 161-4 was overhauled by Goole thanks to 61 from teenager Ben Earl.

Ovington remain on course for a double. The first team saw off Fulfordgate in the Mitchell Cup with Ben Morrison (48) and Neil Metcalfe (44) shining, while their second string beat Selby II in the Headley Memorial Cup.

Semi-final draws HPH Cup: Clifton Alliance v University of York Staff, Copmanthorpe v Bishopthorpe or Hemingbrough. Scothern Construction Cup: Selby v Thixendale or Westow, Hirst Courtney or Stillingfleet v Kelfield. Premier Sports Cup: Burn II v Goole, Woodhouse Grange v Bishopthorpe II. Mitchell Cup: Burn v North Duffield or Heworth, York v Ovington.

Prendergast Memorial Cup: North Cave v Malton & Old Malton, Ben Johnson v Thorpe Willoughby. Headley Memorial Cup: Ovington II v Copmanthorpe II or Huntington, Pocklington or Malton & Old Malton II v Carlton Towers.