‘Hot and cold’ pair ready for final clash

Actions from Mytholmroyd v Jer Lane, Parish Cup Semi-Final, at Mytholmroyd. Pictured is Daniel Murgatroyd celebrating

Honours are even after the two meetings in the Premier Division of the Foster’s Halifax League this season and the sides have the capacity to thrill and disappoint in equal measure.

“I’m hoping it could be a high-scoring game. They are two hot and cold sides,” said Triangle’s chairman of selectors David Hudson.

“They both go at it from the off. There could be some big scores or wrecked batting line-ups,” added the man who led Triangle to back-to-back Parish Cup successes in 1993 and 1994.

Mytholmroyd skipper Tom Earle, absent from Walton Street on a holiday booked some time ago, believes he could miss an exciting game.

“They are two good teams, both full of match winners,” said the opening batsman.

“If it’s our day and someone comes off we’ll win it but the same applies to Triangle.”

The finalists are two of the most successful teams in the history of the Halifax League and both have lifted the cup in recent years - Triangle under Roger Smith in 2008 and ‘Royd under Kris Halstead 12 months earlier.

Triangle started the season hoping just to field a settled side after a turbulent 2014.

Hudson said: “That hasn’t happened but we’ve beaten Jer Lane, Booth and Mytholmroyd to show what we are capable of.

“We’ve also had a good cup run although we have had the rub of the green with the draws.”

Three of Triangle’s key players - paceman Kurtis Whippey and all-rounders Carl Fletcher and Gary Rodger - have had availability problems but can all play on Sunday.

Other key men could be the bang-in-form Christian Silkstone, former cup final centurion Dan Crosland and promising left arm bowler Tom Fryer.

Silkstone is set to lead the side ahead of Fletcher, having done the job when big Carl has been absent this season.

Adie Gawthrope will lead Mytholmroyd, who must decide who partners Steve Senior at the head of the innings with Tom Earle missing. Zeb Mahmood, Chris Overend, Spencer Harris and Luke Sutcliffe have all faced the new ball in the past.

Jack Earle, Gawthrope and Spencer Harris all return after missing last Saturday’s defeat to Blackley, which virtually ended their title hopes.

Tom Earle, meanwhile, is banking on brother Jack bringing him a third winner’s medal when the pair link up abroad early next week.

“I’ll be sat in the sun, next to the pool, ringing for regular updates,” he said.