The YCF Junior Hundred final is set for a blockbuster finish with the winners from the Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, and Kirklees Junior Hundred competitions battling it out to take home the Yorkshire trophy at the iconic Park Avenue Bradford Cricket Ground.
The final will see UFCC Chargers from Leeds vying for the trophy alongside Sheffield winners Sharrow Stars, Wicketz from Bradford and The Blasters from Kirklees, tomorrow (Wednesday, 9 August, 2023).
All the players on the day will be given branded t-shirts to represent their cities, the scoring will be again completed on the CricHeroes app- a scoring app and a platform for millions of grassroots cricketers, to showcase their talent, get recognition for their achievements and become better cricketers.
The Yorkshire Junior Hundred final event is a truly spectacular tournament when it comes to cricket.
Let’s take a look back at how the winners from the Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, and Kirklees Junior Hundred competitions made it to the Yorkshire final…
Leeds Junior Hundred
The Leeds Junior Hundred competition was hosted at the Hunslet Nelson CC on Wednesday, 26 July.
Teams & Groups
Group A featured: Hyde Park Street (HPS), UFCC Comets (COM), Leeds Gladiators (LG)
Group B featured: Beeston Street (BS), UFCC Chargers (CHA), Harehills Street (HS)
Match Results
Semi-Final 1: UFCC Comets beat Harehills Street.
After some long and hard-fought wickets, the first semi-final was upon us as the UFCC Comets went up against Harehills Street.
The game concluded with UFCC Comets coming out on top with the results: UFCC Comets: 82/5 (50 Balls) to Harehills Street: 54 all-out (37 Balls).
The player for that match with a well-deserved pick was Sami K for Harehills Street, who played a brilliant game, seemingly doing everything and anything his team needed. Sami bowled an impressive 3 wickets and only allowed for 15 runs in his 10 bowls.
Semi-Final 2: UFCC Chargers beat Hyde Park Street.
After a thrilling first semi-final, it was time for the UFCC Chargers to play Hyde Park Street for a chance at the finals for the last game.
The game finished with the UFCC Chargers showing a triumphant win with the results: UFCC Chargers: 105/6 (50 Balls) to Hyde Park Street: 64/all-out (45 Balls).
The player for this match was given to Arya Ufcc for the UFCC Chargers, who displayed an all-around fantastic game from all parts of the field. Arya’s stats for the game: Arya made a great impact totalling 16 runs batting two 4’s and even batting a 6.
Leeds Competition Final: UFCC Chargers beat UFCC Comets.
The stage was set, and the players were ready. It was the senior team against the Junior team and both. UFCC Chargers and UFCC Comets wanted to win just as badly as each other.
The game concluded with the UFCC Chargers coming out on top against their juniors UFCC Comets with the results: UFCC Chargers: 108/4 to UFCC Comets: 66/ all-out.
The player for this match was Hem Bhandari for the UFCC Chargers, who displayed an impressive game and stepped up and showed no fear in the big moments. Hem’s numbers for the game certainly speak for themselves with Hem managing 28 runs hitting three 4’s and even two 6’s.
Devansh Sehara, the Community Development Officer for YCF, said: “The Leeds Junior Hundred cricket competition was a great spectacle, showcasing the incredible talents of young players. The vibrant atmosphere, filled with excitement, turned the event into a joyous celebration for players and families alike.
“What truly made it exceptional was witnessing diverse communities united through their shared love for cricket. The day served as a powerful reminder of how cricket can bridge gaps and foster a sense of togetherness. It was a truly unforgettable experience, showcasing the promising future of cricket and the unifying power of sports.”
Sheffield Junior Hundred
The Sheffield Junior Hundred competition was hosted at the Shiregreen Cricket Club on Tuesday, 1 August, in partnership with Cricket Arena.
Teams & Groups
Group A featured: Ecclesfield Aces, Netheredge Knights, Shiregreen Sharks
Group B featured: Burngreave Tigers, Darnall Dynamites, Sharrow Stars
Match Results
Semi-Final 1: Sharrow Stars beat Shiregreen Sharks
After a brilliant build-up to the semi-finals, the first semi of the tournament was upon us. Which saw Sharrow Stars go up against Shiregreen Sharks.
The game concluded with Sharrow Stars coming out on top, with the game results being: Sharrow Stars: 56/7 (49 Balls) to Shiregreen Sharks: 57/0 (24 Balls).
The player of the match was Seth Warrington for the Shiregreen Sharks. He played a fantastic game on all ends of the pitch and deserved the award. Warrington managed to bowl an impressive three wickets this game.
Semi-Final 2: Netheredge Knights won against Burngreave Tigers
The first semi-final had set the tone that this tournament would be a great one, and this game cemented that. This game saw Netheredge Knights go up against the Burngreave Tigers.
The game finished with the Netheredge Knights taking home the win with the results: Netheredge Knights: 98/2 (44 Balls) to Burngreave Tigers: 97/4 (50 Balls).
The player of the match was Musa Altaf for the Burngreave Tigers. He displayed an incredible level of cricket, making him the easy choice in a stand-out game for the team and player. Altaf managed to rack up and impressive 27 runs hitting one 4 and three 6’s.
The Sheffield Competition Final: Sharrow Stars won against Netheredge Knights.
With the semi-finals concluded and with the final now upon us, only two teams remained Sharrow Stars and Netheredge Knights. With both teams displaying high levels of cricket, it was time for the game to begin!
The game finished with the Sharrow Stars taking home the victory and the gold with the results: Sharrow Stars: 99/0 (50 Balls) to Netheredge Knights: 78/6 (50 Balls).
The player of the match was Sharrow Stars very own Aqib Ahmed, who displayed confidence in a big game final and high-level cricket, which allowed him and his team to take home the win. Ahmed managed 27 runs hitting an incredible four 4’s and even one 6.
Israr Hussain, who is the coach of the Sharrow Stars, said: “The competition couldn’t have been better! Overall everything was set up and delivered very professionally. It feels great to win and be the Sheffield champions, as there were some very strong challenges and opponents to face, but the boys managed to keep their heads down and focus and win.
“We’re very excited for the Yorkshire finals day, and the boys are ready to showcase their talent and perform with the same energy to win and bring back the Yorkshire finals day trophy.”
The Sharrow Stars, who displayed a great level of skill throughout the entire tournament, had been crowned champions of the Sheffield Junior Hundred Competition.
Bradford Junior Hundred
The Bradford Junior Hundred Competition was hosted at the Karmand cricket ground, on Monday, 7 August.
Teams
Wicketz, Salem, Bowling Old Lane, and Bradford Qalandars
Match Results
Game 1: Salem beat Bradford Qalandars.
To kick off the first game of the tournament Salem played Bradford Qalandars in what was a simply brilliant game which saw Salem go up against Bradford Qalandars.
The game finished with Salem taking home the victory with the games results being: Salem: 114/5 (50 Balls) to Bradford Qalandars: 113/3 ((50 Balls).
The player of the match was Salem’s very Arham Khan who whilst may have not won the game single handedly, played a world-class game when it comes bowling. Khan most notable bowled 2 wickets and only allowed for 6 runs in his ten bowls.
Game 2: Wicketz beat Bradford Qalandars.
For the second game of the tournament, we witnessed Wicketz taking on Bradford Qalandars which promised to be a very exciting game and that promise was delivered.
The game finished with Wicketz being triumphant over Bradford Qalandars, with the results being: Wicketz: 87/3 (50 Balls) to Bradford Qalandars: 79/5 (50 Balls).
The player for this match was the spectacular Anas Yahya who batted a great game for the Wicketz side and was a key part of their win. Yahya’s made an impressive 26 rubs and batted a three 4’s and one 6.
Game 3: Wicketz beat Salem.
Onto the last game of the tournament, before we headed into the final, we had Salem take on Wicketz, who looked to be on form this tournament.
Wicketz took that form from their first game into this one beating Salem with the results of this game being: Wicketz: 109/3 (50 Balls) to Salem: 108/6 (50 Balls).
The player of the match was again awarded to Anas Yahya for the Wicketz, who put up incredible numbers on both ends of batting and bowling and truly played a phenomenal game. Yahya’s made 26 runs and batted four 4’s and hit one 6. He also had bowled two wicketz and only allowed for 8 runs in ten bowls.
Bradford Competition Final: Wicketz beat Salem.
The final was lastly upon us, and it was set to be a great one. Salem versus Wicketz with the tournament all to play for, and both teams wanting to win this game to be crowned champions of Bradford.
Wicketz displayed a truly brilliant class of cricket against Salem beating them with the results being: Wicketz: 103/7 (45 Balls) to Salem 48/7 (50 Balls).
The standout player in this match was yet again Wicketz’s very own Anas Yahya, who displayed some of the highest levels of batting the tournament has seen and was a crucial player in Wicketz’s winning the tournament. Yahya made an insane 42 runs hitting four 4’s and three 6’s.
Kirklees Junior Hundred
The Kirklees Junior Hundred Competition was hosted at the Mount Cricket Club on Tuesday, 25 August.
Teams
Blasters, Knight Riders, Tigers, Pavilion Boys, Rockstars, and Lions.
Match Results
Game 1: The Blasters showcased a competitive batting performance in their debut match against the Tigers, notching up a commendable 110 runs while losing just 4 wickets in their allocated 50 balls. The Tigers struggled to counter the formidable bowling attack, managing a modest 90 runs in response. This led to the Blasters clinching a comfortable victory by a margin of 20 runs.
Game 2: In their subsequent showdown, the Blasters locked horns with the Knight Riders. Opting to bat first once again, the Blasters set a target of 130 runs for their rivals. Despite a spirited effort, the Knight Riders fell short, tallying 120 runs on the scoreboard. The Blasters emerged victorious in a hard-fought contest, sealing a well-earned 10-run triumph.
Game 3: The final match of the group stage saw the Blasters clash with the Rockstars. Choosing to bat first, the Blasters posted an impressive total of 150 runs within their 50-ball limit. The Rockstars exhibited determination, amassing 140 runs, yet missed the mark by a mere 10 runs. The Blasters secured another deserving victory in a thrilling encounter.
The Kirklees Competition Final: The ultimate face-off unfolded between the Lions and the Blasters, with the former winning the toss and electing to bat initially. Despite a sluggish start and the loss of crucial wickets, an unbroken partnership of 67 runs off 28 balls propelled the Lions to a respectable total of 103. The Blasters embarked on their run chase with a strong opening, losing their first wicket only on the 34th ball at a score of 77. They cruised to victory, winning by 8 wickets.
The Player of the Final honour was bestowed upon Abdul Museji, who not only guided his team to triumph but also earned the Player of the Day title for his consistent and impactful performances with the bat.
Stay tuned to The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation social media channels for updates from the final.
