THERE was no third successive Waddilove Cup triumph for Steeton, as their remarkable run in the competition came to an end on Sunday.
Having won the Aire-Wharfe League’s blue-riband knockout competition for the past two years as a second-tier club, they fell short of a hat-trick by losing to fellow Premier Division opponents Horsforth Hall Park in a well-staged decider at Bilton.
And in truth, Hall Park were thoroughly deserving winners, as they stormed a six-wicket win with more than seven overs in hand.
After the final, magnanimous Steeton captain Steve Pearson said: “We were probably about 40 runs short having got ourselves into a good position, but Hall Park bowled exceptionally well and made it hard for us to score runs.
“We then needed early wickets to have a chance, and we used seven bowlers, but Michael Loubser and Andy Bairstow took it away from us with the bat.”
Pearson added: “Our run in this competition had to come to an end eventually, but we have enjoyed it.
“Now it is back to the league, where we have won our last three, and if we continue that we will get out of the relegation zone, but to lose 20 league points (due to disciplinary issues) was a massive blow.
“We could have done without it and it is disappointing, but these things happen and you have to go again.”
Steeton chose to bat in Sunday’s final, but were soon 17-2 and needed a disciplined innings by No.3 Ben Hemsley to post anything like a competitive total.
He scored 82 off 112 deliveries, playing some eye-catching shots through the covers, and added 60 for the third wicket with Max Harrison (19) and 52 for the fourth with James Robinson (18).
After that, however, Hemsley was very much playing a lone hand and was last out at 172 with almost five overs still unused.
Ricky Halloran was accuracy personified in both his spells to take 2-17, while Priyank Koli (2-36) and Sam Hyde (4-40) took wickets while Hemsley was at the non-strikers’ end.
The feeling at the tea interval was that Steeton were well short of what was needed but Hemsley dismissed opposition captain Steve Phillips and Koli on his way to 2-27 as the holders put the squeeze on.
But Hall Park’s experienced duo of Loubser and Bairstow left the result in no doubt, the two star batsmen ending on 63 not out and 52 not out respectively.
Ironically, Steeton are back at Bilton this weekend in the league.
Their hosts are the only team below them in the league, and Pearson said: “We need another win.”
Steeton’s superb success on home soil against leaders Otley on Saturday will give them confidence.
The visitors did not capitalise on being 106-1 after winning the toss, finishing on 216-9 as overseas Tremaine Dowrich (3-76) and Ewan Johnston (4-23) triggered their decline.
Opener Dowrich then starred with the willow, putting them ahead of the curve by scoring 103 off just 68 balls, adding 147 for the second wicket with Hemsley (60).
Even though Steeton slipped from 171-1 to 182-5, they still had plenty of time in hand and won by four wickets with almost 10 overs to spare.
Steeton are now just 11 points adrift of third-from-bottom Rawdon with eight matches left.
Meanwhile, Harden missed a golden opportunity to climb out of a relegation berth in Division One.
They were at home to bottom club Calverley and made 222-8 after winning the toss, skipper Andy Wear scoring 51, before No.3 Toby Priestley weighed in with 76 off 66 balls.
Ben McGonigle finished on 20 not out, but he and his fellow bowlers then made little impression on the Calverley batters as they breezed home by seven wickets inside 34 overs.
Harden are still second from bottom, but are now seven points behind Bardsey.
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