Hanging Heaton produced an efficient performance to defeat a young Yorkshire Vikings side by five wickets in the Dyson Energy Services T20 Challenge at Wagon Lane.
The 2018 Vitality ECB Club T20 champions were good value for their win in a match watched by a crowd of around 700.
The key to their success was a disciplined bowling performance which restricted the Vikings to 135-6. Second teamer James Byrne, above, proved to be the main wicket taker with 3-31, but it was spinners Callum Geldart (0-14) and Callum Bethel (0-18) who did most to check Yorkshire’s progress.
The Vikings batsmen had fifficulty adapting to a pitch where the ball didn’t come on to the bat as quickly as the ones they are used to.
It was reflected in the way that all six wickets fell to lofted catches in the outfield with Geldart bagging five of them and Bethel the remaining one.
Opener Harry Brook, batting on the ground where he plays his league cricket top scored with 23, but n obody was able to go on and make the the sort of contribution that would have presented Hanging Heaton with a more testing target.
Yorkshire responded to the succes of the Hanging Heaton slow bowlers by opening the bowling with left-arm spinner Karl Carver.
He was to prove his side’s most-successful bowler with 3-20, but despite his efforts, Hanging Heaton eased to victory with 2.1 overs to spare.
Skipper Gary Fellows (21) gave his side a good start but it was the bold strokeplay of man of the match Geldart (33) and the sensible play of Nick Connolly (pictured above, 37no) that ensured that Hanging Heaton secured victory.
The fact that the match went ahead at all was due to the excellent work of the members of the Bradford & Bingley club under the direction of former Yorkshire player and current director Neil Hartley, club chairman Adam Swallow and and army of helpers.
The weather played its part to with the sun making a welcome appearance on a humid evening which was at odds with the gloomy weather forecasts that gave the match little chance of going ahead.
Thankfully for all those that saw it the hard work that went in to getting the game on was well worth it.
