THE difficulty for some clubs in finding teams for matches on successive days was laid bare in a Jack Hampshire Cup quarter-final at Buttershaw St Paul’s.

Wakefield St Michael’s turned up with only eight players, only five of whom were regular first-teamers and only two of them recognised batters, both of whom opened.

It was one of those contests where, unless something went seriously wrong, the winners could be predicted before the coin toss, and the odds were also on a short game.

With St Michael’s opting to bat, their innings was over even before Bradford Bulls’ match at nearby Odsal had even started, and the whole contest did not last two-and-a-half hours, including the tea interval.

Visiting skipper Conor Andrews explained: “Getting teams out on two successive days is a significant issue for us.

“It is not ideal is it and not what we want. The reasons for them not playing today are varied - people are busy aren’t they? - but for a club of our size there is not a lot that we can do at the minute.

“We have had a lot of people leave us already and we were basically at the point of conceding the tie yesterday, but there are repercussions for doing that (being barred from next year’s competition) so we decided to play.

“One of the lads has turned up with a dislocated finger, while another has not played because he had a couple of teeth knocked out.”

The start of the match was delayed while the sightscreen at the St Paul’s end was moved in front of the overhanging trees, with one dislodged branch then becoming stuck in a vertical slat before being persuaded to fall off.

St Michael’s, who face a winter of recruitment, at least deserve credit for fulfilling the match, and the last thing they needed was a run-out, but that was what happened to opener Myles Wood after a stunning direct hit from side-on by Luke Barker, who is normally a second-teamer.

From a low point of 31-4, the visitors did well to reach 85, with the last three all making double figures, headed by Robert Taylor’s 19 not out.

Keeper Matthew Long took two straightforward catches to start the visitors’ decline, and there were three caught and bowleds, two simple ones for Atta Ur Rehman, who took 3-17, and a sharp one low to his left by Jonathan Burston.

Buttershaw lost Gary Wainwright (who came out with his son Adam’s bat before realising his mistake) caught in the covers for six, but Long (35no) and Jack Wakeling (42no) exploited the many gaps in the field, with anything to third man or fine leg having to be chased down by keeper Wood.

Long was impressive from the outset, while Wakeling took a liking to the leg-side and the reply was finished inside eight overs as there were too many spaces for St Michael’s to fill.

Buttershaw skipper Adam Wainwright admitted: “We would rather have played against 11 as it would have made it more of a game, but we had to do a job and it was short and sweet.

“Jack has been batting down the order so we thought that we would give him a chance and he has got some runs, while young Matty has had a brilliant season and will be an unbelievable cricketer.

“As for our bowling we have put it in the right areas and done well.”

Wainwright added: “We fancy ourselves to win the competition, which would be a big achievement.”

In other ties, Heckmondwike & Carlinghow, who are fourth in Division Three, are through to the semi-finals for the first time after a shock win over Sandal, who are second in the division above.

Heckmondwike recovered from 36-4 to make 169, with Qamar Shahzad scoring 56 and Michael Carroll taking 5-33.

Sandal were 107-3 and looking good, thanks to Keron Persaud (45) and Matthew Westwood (39), who added 82 for the fourth wicket, only to lose their last seven wickets for four runs, with Paul Cooper taking 5-3.

Northowram Fields are also through, winning by six wickets at Great Preston.

Sam Wright (41) and Ben Broxup (32) shone in Great Preston’s 158, with Max Gardner taking 3-40, but Northowram Fields eased home thanks to Australian Harry Hauenstein (61no) and Colin Phillipson (52).

The last quarter-final, between Hartshead Moor and Lightcliffe, is being played next Sunday.