Lawson Leads The Way As Farnley March Into Priestley Shield Final
New Farnley CC 2nd XI 202-7 (40 overs) beat Woodlands CC 2nd XI 91 all out (23.4 overs) by 111 runs
New Farnley Cricket Club’s 2nd XI booked their place in the Priestley Shield Final with an outstanding all-round performance, brushing aside Woodlands by 111 runs at Albert Terrace.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, New Farnley recovered from an early wobble thanks to a superb innings from Mark Lawson, whose composed 68 not out proved to be the cornerstone of the innings racking up a 101 partnership with Taylor Robinson 36 not out. Displaying patience when required before accelerating in the closing stages, Lawson guided the visitors to a competitive 202-7 from their 40 overs.
Earlier, Alex Holt made an important contribution with 20, while Jonny Phillips (19), Edward Denton (14) and Max Chaplin (13) all chipped in to ensure the scoreboard kept moving. Despite regular wickets falling at the other end, Lawson remained calm throughout, expertly marshalling the lower order to give New Farnley a total that always looked challenging.
The bowlers then produced a relentless display to blow Woodlands away for just 91 in 23.4 overs. The opening spell from Kai Watson set the tone, returning exceptional figures of 3-7 from 5 overs which helped to achieve 50 wickets for the season, while Chaplin was equally impressive with 3-18 from six overs. Their accuracy and movement left Woodlands struggling from the outset.
There was no way back for the hosts as wickets continued to tumble, with Sam Barraclough (3-27) providing excellent support and Chris Blakeney (1-1) also getting in on the act. Only Kez Ahmed (23), Jack Pearson (20) and Jack Bleazard (19) offered any resistance as New Farnley completed a dominant victory.
The result secures New Farnley’s place in the 2026 Priestley Shield Final where they will face Farsley on Sunday 2nd August 2026 at Undercliffe Cricket Club, with play scheduled to begin at 12:00pm. The team will now be aiming to cap an excellent cup campaign by bringing the trophy back to Lawns Lane.
