Owen Morris put in a captain fantastic style performance to help his Yorkshire D40 development side begin the disability summer in grand style at Higham CC on Sunday.
Morris, leading the side for the first time, starred with 75 not out, retiring in a commanding 216-5 from 30 overs.
He shared 55 for the second wicket with opener Kyle Clayton, who impressed with 51, and 74 for the third with Matthew Bateman (36). Cameron Sweeney also added a useful 26.
In a routine defence, which ensured a 30-point haul, Bateman claimed 3-23 from six overs and two catches as Cheshire finished on 95-8. Jacob Grimes also struck twice with the ball, as did Morris to cap off a day he will not forget in a hurry.
Yorkshire’s senior D40 side begin life in the top National Quest division on Sunday when they host Lancashire, also at Higham, while the county’s S9 team tackle Cheshire at Bowdon Vale.
Elsewhere across the county club, Yorkshire’s women finally got on the field on Sunday following six successive rained off matches in the County T20 Cup.
They were in action at the Group One B Finals Day at Casterton Sedbergh Prep School, where they lost one and won one against North East Warriors and Cumbria respectively.
Restricted to 77-9 in the first game against the Warriors – captain Hannah Buck opened up with 36 – Yorkshire were unable to prevent the defeat by six wickets with 2.1 overs remaining. Northern Diamonds Academy all-rounder Harriet Robson led the Warriors chase with 33 not out.
Yorkshire were able to bounce back against Cumbria later in the day, bowling the hosts out for 62. Rhia Sedha claimed a stunning 5-7 from four overs before wicketkeeper opener Elise Good led the chase with 42. The county knocked the runs off with 4.2 overs remaining. The Warriors were the only one of the three sides to win both of their matches.
The Northern Diamonds senior side beat the Yorkshire Cricket College in a T20 friendly at Weetwood on Monday as they warm-up for the start of the Charlotte Edwards Cup on Friday.
The Diamonds, batting first, made 125-9 with Leah Dobson cracking 40 off 27 balls at the top of the order. However, the Diamonds slipped significantly from 68-1 in the eighth over to 96-9 in the 15th.
It took a pair of 14 not outs from last-wicket duo Katie Levick and Emma Marlow to get the side up beyond 120 with a 29-run partnership.
Grace Hall, Sterre Kalis, Rachel Slater and Phoebe Turner all played for the Yorkshire Cricket College, with Turner striking once. In the chase, Kalis opened up with 19, but there was a similar style collapse to hand the Diamonds a nine-run win.
The Cricket College slipped from 74-1 in the 12th over to 116-9 after 20.
Yorkshire’s Under 18 Academy side today began their T20 campaign with a pair of friendly victories over Scarborough College at Driffield Town CC.
In the morning fixture, Yorkshire won by four runs having posted 173-4. Jawad Akhtar shone with 68 not out off 44 balls before returning 2-18 from four overs in a nip and tuck defence. Scarborough finished on 169-5.
In the second game, the College side batted first and made 144-6. Josh Hoyle claimed an impressive 4-26 from four overs before Ryan Adams and unbeaten Harvey Round scored 32 apiece in a successful chase, sealing a six-wicket win with 2.3 overs remaining.
The Academy have enjoyed an encouraging start to 2023 with two wins and two draws from five previous matches.
PHOTO: Owen Morris (left) and Cameron Sweeney.
