STANDING on the outfield after the prize presentation ceremony, Adam Waite laughed and said: “It was a great innings!”

His 127 not out had helped New Farnley retain the Priestley Cup, overhauling a competitive 261-9 by Methley by five wickets with seven balls to spare.

The physical exertion of facing 140 balls, 16 of which went for four and one for a six, on a sweltering day that had spectators flagging never mind the players, could be seen minutes earlier as Waite limped across the outfield towards the end-of-match awards.

But his efforts were worth it as New Farnley completed a double double of cup wins, taking the Priestley Cup two years in succession to add to their retention of the Heavy Woollen Cup a fortnight earlier, also on their own ground.

On a personal front, Waite’s knock was the third highest in a Priestley Cup final and he became only the second player to win the man-of-the-match trophy for a third time, matching Neil Hartley.

However, given their batting collapses in the league over the previous two Saturdays, there were bound to be doubts in the back of New Farnley minds when they lost Mark Lawson and skipper Lee Goddard to successive Tom Chippendale deliveries as the score became 51-3.

Even Waite, who survived a run-out scare, admitted that, but he found an equally classy ally in Steve Bullen, who initially played second fiddle and then took charge of their fourth-wicket stand of 142.

Bullen was eventually out for 73, made off 76 balls and including seven fours and two sixes, but cameos from keeper Dan Hodgson (23) and Alex Lilley (14no) got New Farnley home without needing the last over.

Methley had little hesitation in opting to bat, and the in-form Jason Marshall was off and running from ball one, clipping Lilley behind square for four.

Alex Cree was out lbw to the same bowler - a decision that provoked much debate as spectators could review the verdict on live streaming - and Jordan Laban was bowled by Liam Guthrie in the latter’s final match before flying back to Australia.

But Yorkshire’s Matthew Waite came to the crease and added 108 for the third wicket with Marshall, a partnership that was ended when Aidan Langley picked a neat catch off his toes in the deep.

Marshall’s 79, which included nine fours and a six, made him the leading run scorer in the competition this year with 454, and Waite then went for 56.

A likely total of 300 then had to be revised downwards as Eitan Litvin, Chippendale and Charlie McMurran were dismissed by reliable spinner Gurman Randhawa (3-40), but there was still former Yorkshire player James Wainman to be reckoned with.

And he took up the cudgels with 71 not out, which contained 11 fours and two sixes, enabling Methley to set a competitive total.

Chippendale, defying an Achilles injury, bowled his 10 overs on the reel to finish with 3-42.

After that it was over to New Farnley’s Waite (there were three playing as Methley had Matthew and Ben), whose century was the first in a Priestley Cup final since Andrew Bairstow for Pudsey Congs in 2008.

Methley chopped and changed their attack with one-over spells as they tried to grab late wickets, but New Farnley, who needed 72 off the last 10 overs, were always just ahead of the rate as the overs ran down, Lilley finishing matters off in style with a two, a four and a six off Wainman.

Following on from their successful staging of the Heavy Woollen Cup decider a fortnight previously, this was another well-staged final by cup kings New Farnley.

Their attention now turns back to the Bradford Premier League and a blockbuster clash on Saturday at home to Woodlands, who have just overtaken them at the top of the Premier Division.