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Farsley v Spen Victoria

Date: Saturday, August 9
Scores: No play due to rain and wet state of ground Result: Match abandoned
Points: Farsley 2 – Spen Victoria 2
Weather: Wet
Venue: Red Lane

Both sides had to settle for two points after the Rams had won their previous 8 League games at their Red Lane Headquarters but with now only four games to play, the Rams look assured of promotion and hopefully the Second Division Championship.

In what must surely be the worst summer weather in recent living memory, Farsley's players hung around a damp Red Lane until 4.00pm and when the two skippers failed to agree on a start, the umpires took the decision to abandon the game without a ball having been bowled. The players had taken tea during the long wait for play to start.

Farsley's 2 subsequent 'abandoned match' points took their season's total to 261 which is 43 points ahead of third placed Keighley (who also got only 2 points from their own abandoned game against Great Horton) and it would need a drastic fall in form for Farsley to slip up in their chase back to Division One. Every other Second Division games were also abandoned.

Ashley Metcalfe had made a commendable hurried return from his Spanish Holiday to play in the game and must have wished he'd squeezed in another couple of days in the sun instead! Farsley, in fact, had their strongest side available against a side they had beaten backing late May when then debutant West Indian Lorenzo Inghram scored a massive 155 in the Rams' 326 total and then Chris Henry had blasted out the opposition with a 6-45 return to give the Rams a 240 runs victory and a full 20 points.

Only 14 points still separate the four sides immediately below the Rams – Gomersal, Keighley, Idle and Undercliffe, each seemingly now fighting for the runners-up promotion slot but of course nothing is yet certain in the game of cricket.

Although Gomersal have still to come to Red Lane on the final game of the season, they appear to have the easiest run-in of the four challenging clubs, three of their four games against lowly Lightcliffe, bottom of the table Hartshead Moor and middle of the table Great Horton

Idle are 8 points behind second placed Gomersal, and appear to have the next easiest run-in against Spen Victoria, Great Horton and Morley – all looking on paper beatable, but a tricky encounter at Undercliffe (who beat them convincingly at Idle) might scupper their chances.

Keighley have two tough games to play against ourselves at Red Lane and Undercliffe, away, in what might be the last match decider but they should take plenty of points from their other two games against Lightcliffe (away) and Windhill (home).

Undercliffe, in current fifth place, have bottom club Hartshead Moor to visit, a tricky home game against Idle to contend with, some potential heavy points at Bankfoot and that final home game against Keighley which might be all important!

NOTE: Players and supporters note that next Saturday's game at Windhill (August 16th will start at 1.00pm as will the next home game on August 23rd against Keighley but the final two games of the season against Morley, away on August 30th and the final home fixture against Gomersal on September 6th commence at 12.30pm.


League standings after Saturday August: The top 5
Farsley (261 points), Gomersal (221 points), Keighley (218 points), Idle (213 points), Undercliffe (207 points)