BUTTERSHAW St Paul's want to go on another cup run.

The Bradford League Division Two club reached both the semi-finals of the Jack Hampshire Cup and the Heavy Woollen Cup two seasons ago, which has given them a taste for knockout glory.

And, on a day when many clubs suffered a wash-out, diligent mopping-up operations ensured that Buttershaw’s Jack Hampshire Cup first-round home match against league rivals Hunslet Nelson went ahead on Sunday.

And James Sawyer’s men reaped the reward for all that hard work by defeating their visitors by 63 runs to book their passage into the next round on Sunday, June 13.

But what is more, six second-teamers stepped into the breach against visitors who had four second-teamers in themselves, and the home side’s filler-inners contributed well to their success.

As for getting the wicket ready, Sawyer said: “We were here from half past seven this (Sunday) morning – about six or seven of us – and we had had a lot of rain the day before when we were playing.

“We covered it, and unfortunately we have covers that need replacing and some rain got under, but we are a small club and funds are hard to come by.

“At nine o’clock this morning it looked horrendous, but it says wonders about our club that we got the game on.

“We were missing six first-teamers but the lads stepped up – either juniors or older lads – and they all did their bit.

“Alex Maddison opened the batting, I promoted myself to No.4, which I hadn’t done for about six years, and little Matty Long, who bats at five – what a talent – and we set it up for the lads down the order.

“Ben Maddison and James Brown, both from the second team, had a licence to have a go, and then Kammy Siddique had a nice opening spell with his five-fer, accompanied by Matty Kellett, who has not played a lot of cricket since coming off his moped in Bali six months ago and breaking his jaw.

“All this says wonders about our club, and that is why we play here.”

Hunslet Nelson won the toss and bowled, which on most damp tracks would be the right thing to do.

However, on a wet wicket at Buttershaw, it is, as veteran Bob Cull notes, often the wrong thing to do as the surface becomes trickier after tea.

Jonathan Burston fell victim to a nip-backer, and it was 15-2 when Alex Maddison fell to a leading edge, caught at slip in the eighth over.

Wicket-keeper Jamie Robson and Sawyer, happy to play second fiddle, then began the recovery with a watchful stand of 68, with Robson always looking for the short ball that he could pull straight off the back foot.

Robson flicked a six to square leg before holing out at deep cover just after reaching his half-century, and Sawyer was then joined by academy product Long, a 15-year-old who has been at the club since he was seven.

Sawyer became more proactive, and Long showed a good temperament and technique, playing one of the shots of the day when he drove a six down the ground.

Sawyer was trapped lbw for 35, which allowed Ben Maddison, who hit a lusty six over mid-wicket, and Brown to show off their big-hitting before Long (24) was eighth out, well caught on his follow through by William Stiff.

Buttershaw, whose minimum target was 150, were more than happy with their 178-9, Daniel Brooke-Mawson taking 3-28 and Stiff 3-52, but Hunslet Nelson were not going to die wondering in their reply.

The opening over by off-spinner Jack Wilson went for 13 before Sawyer relied on the pace of Siddique, Pritesh Mistry, himself and Kellett.

Brown took a sharp catch at point to dismiss Jack Scanlon, and Sam Thewlis fell in the deep to an Alex Maddison catch.

Siddique then bowled Andrew McIntosh, and a full-length ball trapped opener Jamal Khojani lbw as the tide began to turn.

Despite 20 from skipper Stiff, 25 from keeper Sam Haigh and 17 from opening bowler Glen Thompson, the visitors were dismissed for 115, with Sawyer finishing things off by running round from mid-off to take a diving catch.

Sawyer said: “Hunslet Nelson, who we play at their place on Saturday, were looking at the run-rate scenario after 10 overs etc and were not prepared to dig in.

“We want to be promoted so that our young lads are not taken from us by Division One clubs - if they go to a Premier Division side then good luck to them.

“We also want a cup run. This is a winnable cup in our eyes because it is only our league and below, and what a day a cup final is, especially for our club because we like a beer!”

Elsewhere in the Jack Hampshire Cup, Osama Ahmed seized his opportunity to open the batting with both hands as he blasted a stunning century for Jer Lane in their 166-run win over Scholes.

Ahmed, who had only scored 21 runs in his previous knocks this season, hit 18 sixes and three fours as he powered his way to 139 from just 78 balls.

After reaching his 50 from 40 balls, Ahmed took just 16 more to go to his century. When he was eventually out – the first time he has been dismissed this season – 120 of his runs had come in boundaries.

He dominated a second wicket stand of 104 with Abubakar Dawood (35) before adding 100 for the fourth wicket with skipper Raqeeb Younis, who went on to make 71 as Jer Lane posted a daunting 319-7 in their 40 overs.

Saif Tahir (57) and Craig Wood (32) made spirited knocks for Scholes as they were dismissed for 153, Bobby Khan taking 3-5 and Amjid Khan 3-37.

Sandal easily beat Liversedge on comparison of scores, while Brighouse lost by 42 runs at home to Hopton Mills.

Three ties, Great Preston v Crossbank Methodists, Wakefield St Michael’s v Gildersome & Farnley Hill and East Leeds v Windhill & Daisy Hill, were all called off and will now be played on the reserve date of Sunday, June 6.