BARNSLEY UP THEIR GAME TO BEAT WHISTON

For the first time this season the first team managed to put all three facets of the game together as they overpowered Whiston Parish Church by six wickets at Shaw Lane.

Whiston won the toss and elected to bat and Oliver Jackson soon ripped one through the gate of Gareth Davis to get the home side off to a great start. Skipper Kemp helped Tomlinson take the score to 34 before Waqas Tanveer trapped him in front for 13. Harry Paver and Tomlinson steadied the ship without accelerating the run rate. When Tomlinson was cleaned up by Leo Johnson it brought Whiston’s overseas, Aamir Jamal, to the crease and he upped the tempo effortlessly, with an array of classy shots. Paver tried himself to up the run rate but after a couple of lovely boundaries, he mistimed a hit over the top and gave Oliver Jackson his second wicket. The ball afterwards, Jackson spun the ball back into Joe Norbury who offered no shot and was skittled.

Jamal continued to take the game to the bowlers, however on 69 from just 47 balls he was bowled round his legs by Ali Jahangir. The innings then stuttered as Whiston finished on 205 for 9. There were two more late wickets for Ali Jahangir and another for Leo Johnson.

The Barnsley innings got off to the perfect start as Jake Weatherald continues to impress at the top of the innings. His stroke play and attacking style has to be seen to be believed, this week he did it with old fashioned stylish cricket shots and refused to let any bowler settle into a rhythm. His 84 came from just 46 balls and virtually sealed the win for the Griffins. He hit 15 boundaries with four of them being maximums. He was the third wicket taken on the day, leaving the rest of the batters to score a further 74 to win.

Barnsley only lost one more wicket with Ali Jahangir (39 not out) and Leo Johnson (35 not out) seeing them home with nearly twenty overs to spare.