Picture by YCCC. Dairen Hirst-Spalding scored his maiden Yorkshire century, against Lancashire at Mawdesley. (Cover photo, Kyle Clayton, who has spent time coaching in Sri Lanka’s national disability set-up.
Yorkshire ended their National D40 Quest League campaign on a high yesterday by thumping defending champions Lancashire at Mawdesley.
Yorkshire won their 40-over match by 171 runs on the back of an imposing 303-8 total which was underpinned by opener Dairen Hirst-Spalding’s superb 100 off 94 balls.
Lancashire were then bowled out for 132, with Kyle Clayton and captain Cameron Cooper claiming four wickets apiece.
Clayton had a fabulous day against his birth and former county, also hitting a middle-order 73 off 38 balls.
Yorkshire claimed their second win in six games and avenged a home defeat against the Red Rose earlier in the campaign.
Lancashire had already qualified for the national final later this month as they bid to go back-to-back. But their Yorkshire-born coach John Hughes had been targeting a perfect six wins from six group campaign.
Cooper elected to bat first across the Pennines, and Hirst-Spalding and opening partner Curtis Sugden, who made 62 off 51, set things up perfectly with a stand of 125.
Hirst-Spalding’s century was his first in a Yorkshire shirt.
In reply, Lancashire’s hopes were sunk pretty quickly as they slipped to 68-5 and failed to recover.
Clayton took the new ball and returned figures of 4-39 from his eight overs, while skipper Cooper returned 4-18 from 5.4 overs. No Lancashire batter reached 50.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Four wickets for Cameron Cooper against the Red Rose.
