MEN’S INDOOR CUP

Sheffield Cup 2023 —

Netheredge

Knighted

Sheffield Cup 2023 winners posing proudly with their trophies on the Cricket Arena presentation table before lifting the cup.

Sheffield Cup 2023 brought 6‑a‑side, 12‑over indoor windball to Hillsborough Leisure Centre with a round‑robin leading into two semi‑finals and a final. The night had everything: skill, temperament and raw drama. After a stormy first semi‑final and a one‑run classic in the second, Netheredge Knights hit a statement total and bowled with bite to claim their first Sheffield Cup and a place at Yorkshire Finals Day.

Venue:
Hillsborough Leisure Centre
Dates:
Mondays, 30 Jan – 13 Mar 2023
Format:
Round‑robin → Semi‑finals & Final · 6‑a‑side · 12 overs · Indoor windball
Teams:
Firth Park Warriors · City Strikers · Burngreave Tigers · Pagehall Panthers · Pitsmoor Avengers · Netheredge Knights
Result:
Netheredge Knights beat Pagehall Panthers (first title) — winners advance to Yorkshire Finals Day

Semi‑final 1: Pitsmoor Avengers v Pagehall Panthers

A semi‑final to forget for temperament, unforgettable for cricket. With emotions running high, arguments with umpires and between teams spilled over, prompting post‑match administration by organisers. On the field, Pitsmoor posted 120/5 (12), led by stalwarts Zobair Khaliq 47 (31)* and Saeed Rehman 24 (15). Jawad Saleem (Pagehall) throttled the innings with 2–6 (3)—untouchable cutters both ways that kept the rate in check. In the chase, Pagehall played it smart: they saw off the premium overs from Saeed, Zobair and Hamzah Y., then targeted the fourth bowler, launching five sixes in a burst. An indecisive moment from an umpire riled both sides; the decision stood, Pitsmoor deflated, and Jahangir Ali finished the chase with 47 (28), two balls to spare. Apologies and bans followed for those who crossed the line, with steps agreed to prevent repeats.

Semi‑final 2: Netheredge Knights v Burngreave Tigers

Netheredge’s calling card all season: win tight. They posted a par 120, bowled out with three balls left—Arman Ahmed 37 (22, 4×6) and Jawad Akhtar 29 (14, 3×6) doing the damage. Burngreave were ahead of the rate until two key wickets around 100 flipped the mood. Jawad and Muneeb sensed it and delivered back‑to‑back 3‑run overs, leaving 13 needed from the last. Rizwan Ishfaq (age 15) was brilliant—50* (40)—and launched the final ball for six, but the Knights held on by 1 run.

The Final: Pagehall Panthers v Netheredge Knights

Both finalists had scraped through—Pagehall by one wicket, Netheredge by one run—but the final belonged to the Knights. Shabaz Qadeer 49 (25) set the tone before Jawad Akhtar walked in and owned the moment: 59 (18), 5×6, the highest individual score of the tournament, pushing the total to 147/5. Chasing 12 an over from the outset, Pagehall stumbled immediately—Saad Bashir 3–12 taking two in the first over with right‑arm inswing. With Muneeb Khatana and Jawad cleaning up, Pagehall were all out for 45, a 102‑run margin and a no‑nonsense statement from the Knights.

Hillsborough rewarded clear plans: know your matchup, bank squeeze overs, and keep your head when calls go against you. Netheredge did all three—runs on the board, discipline with the new ball, and control in the middle—to finish as deserved champions and book a place at Yorkshire Finals Day.

With 378 total sixes hit, this was one of our most explosive indoor tournaments to date—helped by a slightly shorter straight‑wall boundary than other venues. For the first time, Hillsborough Leisure Centre hosted an indoor cricket competition with ample seating; families, friends and women’s teams came to watch, making it a six‑team box‑office show every Monday evening through the new year.

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Award
Player
Team
Numbers
Best Batsman
Jawad Akhtar
Netheredge Knights
220 runs · Avg 55.00 · SR 258.82 (highest)
Best Bowler
Jawad Akhtar
Netheredge Knights
9 wickets (most) · Econ 4.75 (lowest)
MVP
Jawad Akhtar
Netheredge Knights
3× Man of the Match (incl. Final) · 22 sixes

“I’ve got too many trophies to carry!”

— Jawad Akhtar
MVP, Netheredge Knights

“We won every game by 1 or 2 runs… we just waited until the last moment to do it. We gave them a fair chance to win, and then when we decided we wanted to win, we won the game — simple as that.”

— Waqar Arshad
Captain, Netheredge Knights

Netheredge Knights are champions and now head to Yorkshire Indoor Cricket Cup Finals Day at the EIS, Sheffield (Saturday 18 March 2023). Hillsborough gave us noise, tight finishes and plenty of smiles; we’ll take that spirit into the county finals and wish them luck as they play Bradford, Leeds and Kirklees on Finals Day.

Organisers & Supporters

Yorkshire Cricket Foundation Logo
Cricket Arena Logo
Black background with irregular jagged edges resembling torn paper at the top.

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