Moorlands secure Conference crown

The Memorial Park club made the switch from the Central Yorkshire League at the end of last season, departing having won the Division One championship, and they have followed that up with a second successive title.

Moorlands will make the step up to an expanded Championship Division — the second tier of the Huddersfield League — next season.

Moorlands recorded a 15th win of the season last Saturday when they inflicted a crushing 114-run defeat on nearest rivals Emley Clarence.

Moorlands have put together a team of almost all home grown players with the likes of Michael Rounding and Chris Scott stepping up to the plate this summer.

However, it has been the form of Chris Lloyd and captain Andrew Walker, which has led the Mirfield side’s promotion charge.

Walker hit 41 last Saturday as Moorlands reached 159-9 against Emley.

Rain threatened to put their promotion celebration on hold but with the clouds gathering, Moorlands wasted no time in storming to victory as they dismissed the visitors for just 45.

Walker followed up his efforts with the bat by claiming 4-20 but it was Lloyd who inflicted the most damage.

He ended with 6-22 as the league’s leading wicket taker took his tally for the season to 72 victims and Moorlands clinched the title in emphatic style.

n Heckmondwike and Carlinghow also beat the weather to record a six-wicket win over Edgerton & Dalton in the Huddersfield Central League Premier Section.

Adnaan Rawat (3-12), Jonathan Elstub (3-57) and Chris Allen (2-18) combined to help dismiss Edgerton for 120.

Paul Cooper top scored with 54 in reply, while Fahad Imam (33no) and Matthew Crowther (31) steered Heckmondwike to victory just before the rain came.

Mount posted 163 against Birkby Rose Hill with Imran Suleman Ravat (51) top scoring.

Hassan Patel claimed both wickets to reduce Birkby to 44-2 in reply before rain stopped play.

Premier Division leaders Thurstonland saw their game with Penistone also abandoned, so Mount remain six points behind with five matches remaining.

Mount will be looking to close the deficit on Saturday when they travel to Woolley (2pm).