By Noel Bullock
Ryan McKendry produced a superb all-round performance to guide New Farnley to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Pudsey Congs at The Barry Jackson Ground on Saturday.
After Pudsey Congs elected to bat first, New Farnley’s bowlers kept the visitors under constant pressure throughout the innings. McKendry returned with excellent figures of 2-25 from his six overs. Mixing accuracy with intelligent variations, he removed two key batters at crucial moments to prevent Pudsey Congs from building any sustained momentum.
The visitors were eventually dismissed for 190 in 47 overs, with Callum Oliver top-scoring with 68 while Mohammed Zeeshan (28) and Hassan Butt (27) also got good scores. McKendry was well supported by Reuben Majithia (2-26), Abhay Negi (2-39) and Gurman Ranhawa (2-50) who all chipped in to complete a disciplined bowling display.
In reply, New Farnley made light work of the chase despite losing Aidan Langley (9) early. Steve Bullen anchored the innings magnificently with an half-century (53), striking 4 fours and 3 sixes in a commanding match-winning 3rd wicket partnership of 161 with McKendry as the pair seized control of the contest.
New Farnley reached 191-3 in just 31.5 overs, sealing victory with more than 15 overs to spare and collecting another valuable Premier League win along with claiming the full 20 points on offer.
While McKendry’s century deservedly earned plenty of applause earning him the Player of the Match award and setting New Farnley on course for another impressive victory.
Heavy Woollen Cup Quarter-Final
New Farnley produced one of their most remarkable victories of the 2026 season on Sunday, recovering from a perilous position to defeat Castleford by 104 runs in the Heavy Woollen Cup Quarter-Final after an extraordinary all-round team performance.
Having elected to bat first, New Farnley looked well placed early on thanks to Aidan Langley’s fluent 22 and Fletcher Coutts’ entertaining 28. However, Castleford’s bowlers seized control as wickets fell at regular intervals, reducing the visitors to 63-6 and then 106-8, leaving New Farnley staring at the prospect of being dismissed for a below-par total.
With the innings in danger of unravelling completely, Gurman Randhawa stepped forward to produce an innings that may well prove to be one of the most valuable of the campaign. Better known for his left-arm spin than his batting, Randhawa displayed tremendous composure, determination and resilience, refusing to let the innings slip away. Batting with the lower order, he expertly farmed the strike and frustrated the Castleford attack before reaching a magnificent 50 from 78 balls, including four boundaries.
His half-century transformed the complexion of the match, lifting New Farnley to a defendable 185 all out. It was an innings built on courage rather than aggression and one that gave the bowlers something meaningful to work with.
What followed was a superb bowling display. Abhay Negi struck early before Taylor Robinson (4-12) removed key middle-order wickets to leave Castleford under pressure. Randhawa then underlined his all-round value by claiming three important wickets of his own (3-30), while Adam Ahmed chipped in with two wickets (2-16).
Castleford never recovered from the relentless pressure applied by the New Farnley attack and were dismissed for just 81 in 29 overs, sealing an emphatic 104-run victory.
It was a complete team effort in the field, but there could be no doubt about the standout performer. Gurman Randhawa’s f50 rescued New Farnley from the brink of collapse before he wrapped things up in with three wickets to cap a superb all-round display. A player renowned for his left-arm spin, his calmness and character with the bat proved to be the defining moment of the contest and deservedly earned him the Player of the Match award.
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