Bradford claim victory in Yorkshire Indoor Cup 2024

Teams from various regions of Yorkshire gathered at The Edge, University of Leeds facility, for a significant event celebrating our diverse culture.

After 10 weeks of anticipation, Bradford emerged as the champion, claiming the trophy for the first time. Teams representing four areas of Yorkshire competed to determine the ultimate champions. Participants sported vibrant jerseys and relished the friendly atmosphere and competitive spirit. Delicious food from Munch Café was enjoyed by all attendees, while matches were streamed live on the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation’s YouTube channel, allowing supporters, families, and friends to tune in from anywhere.

Summary for the matches played

Semi Final 1: Bradford v Kirklees

Kirklees won the toss and invited Bradford to bat first. Bradford got off to a flying start, scoring 30 in first 2 overs without losing any wicket. Kirklees skipper Waqas Hussain brought himself into the attack and got 2 back-to-back wickets to press brakes on the Bradford innings. Bradford’s captain, Mohammad Shoaib played a magnificent knock of 54 runs in just 28 balls to help his side set a target of 147 runs in 12 overs. In reply, Kirklees was not able to weather the storm of Bradford’s pace attack as they were bowled out for just 57 runs with their skipper being the lone warrior scoring 31 runs off 23 balls. Bradford comfortably progressed into the finals by defeating Kirklees by 89 runs. Mohammad Shoaib was decided as the player of the match.

Semi Final 2: Leeds v Keighley

Leeds won the toss and decided to bat first. Arvind and Soaham got Leeds to a stable start before Amir Hussain got the breakthrough by dismissing Arvind for 18 runs. Despite getting regular wickets from one end, Leeds managed to score 106 runs with Soaham leading the way by scoring 52 runs in 29 balls. Abid Fareed was the pick of the bowlers, he took 2 wickets for 25 runs in 3 overs. Chasing 107 in 12 overs against a well-balanced Leeds bowling attack was never going to be easy. Keighley were bowled out for 60 runs. Amruth picked 3 wickets for 11 runs in his 2 overs. Soaham was rated player of the match.

Final: Leeds v Bradford

Bradford won the all-important toss and elected to bat first. Alam Shah and Luqman Ali stitched a partnership of 41 runs in just 22 balls to take their team to a total of 108 runs in the final. Parth was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1 wicket in his 3 overs giving away 21 runs including a maiden over. Chasing a target of 109 runs to lift the trophy, Leeds got off to a poor start as they lost 5 wickets for 15 runs in their first 4 overs. The duo of Luqman and Abdul Basit made sure that Leeds never really threatened the Bradford total, both sharing 2 wickets apiece. Bradford won the Yorkshire Indoor Cup 2024 by defeating Leeds by 79 runs. Luqman Ali was awarded the player of the final for his solid all-round performance.

Bradford celebrate after being crowned Yorkshire Indoor Cup 2024 champions.

“Personally, I’m really happy with how I played in the final to help my team lift the Yorkshire Cup. The Yorkshire finals and Indoor cups have given us great opportunities to play cricket during the winter period. The format is very quick, and it’s convenient for us to take some time out from our normal busy lives to play. We enjoyed ourselves a lot and winning the trophy was a big achievement for our team. Hopefully we can do it again next year.”

– Luqman Ali, Player of the Final

Luqman Ali receives his Player of the final award.

A total of 139 matches were played in the Indoor leagues across four areas of Yorkshire, namely Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, and Keighley, with over 400 participants from 38 teams representing diverse communities. Champions from each area competed in the Yorkshire Indoor Cup 2024. These leagues offer a platform for cricket enthusiasts who struggle to play regularly due to their busy schedules, providing an opportunity for everyone to improve their wellbeing and meet new people.