South Nottinghamshire Cricket League

Gunn and Moore South Notts Cricket League Report Saturday 22 August 2009

By Phil Johnson

COLLIERY DIG DEEP FOR VITAL WIN

With Radcliffe on Trent having secured the title last week, the action in Division A mainly centred round the battle for survival. As expected there were twists and turns meaning that five teams go into the final week with the real threat of relegation still hanging over them.

We will start the action at Regatta Way and the battle of the two Gedlings. Gedling and Sherwood posted 170 thanks largely to Samrat Sharma who is in a rich vein of form at present. For Colliery it was a day for the vets with Jeff Burton (3 for 25) and Baz Bailey (4 for 45) impressing. Colliery’s reply had batsmen making starts but nobody went on to make that telling contribution and the game went to the wire with seven runs required off the final over with two wickets remaining. Enter sixteen year old James Barnes who kept his cool to stroke a boundary off the penultimate ball to grab a priceless victory for the Colliery. Defeat was harsh though on spinners Sharma (3 for 50) and Gerry Goodwin (3 for 42) who had kept their team in the game.

Probably the most surprising result of the day came at Unity Casuals who suffered a heavy defeat to out of form Long Eaton. The winners had Leon Botha taking the new ball and his four wickets in the top order went a long towards securing victory. Alan Villiers (2 for 29) was his usual miserly self and Unity only got to 169 thanks to a late flurry from keeper Rizwan Arshad (46) and Alex MacDonald (26*).

Long Eaton’s frail batting of late has been well documented, however knocks of 69 from Tim Taylor and an unbeaten and much needed 64 from Andy Edge saw the winners to success at a canter.

From being in a position to challenge for runners up a couple of months ago, a wretched run of form has seen Eastwood drop into the relegation zone. Saturday saw a trip to already relegated Calverton without the Ul Haq brothers. However take nothing away from Scott Andrew who stroked his way to a brilliant 123 out of 232. For Eastwood, sixteen year old Luke Elderkin (4 for 57) was by far the pick of a disappointing attack.

The losers were never really in the hunt and only got to 158 thanks to some late resistance from Ashley Noble (33) as Billie Armstrong (6 for 58) demolished the batting.

Balderton still require six points to be safe following a seven wicket reversal at home to Southwell. Balderton’s top order, so impressive early season, has misfired recently and it took late contributions from Peter Lambert (38*) and Ian Robinson (31) to reach 173. The home side were kept in check by skipper David Rimmer (4 for 46) and Kiwi Patrick Whelan (3 for 13).

The total posed few problems for the winners thanks to a century from keeper Tim Green and 36 from Matthew Wookey.

In the division’s remaining fixture, Radcliffe posted 222 at Belvoir with Rob Sutton (86) in the runs again. As for Belvoir, left armer Lee Fazackerley (4 for 50) continued his golden month with 14 wickets in three games. For once the Radcliffe seam attack failed to fire as Darren Bicknell (54) and Jack Copley (46) put on a century opening stand. However a change of pace from Simon Ward and Frankie Brown saw wickets falling and despite a brisk 37 at the death from Charles Hubbard the home side fell eight runs short.

It’s still all to play for in B with an incredible collapse denying Hyson Green the chance of promotion for another week.  Gotham Village, who have stuttered recently, scored 174 thanks to a sterling effort from Kevin Perrell (87). For Hyson Green there were more wickets for Liaquat Ali (3 for 45) and Kaisar Altaf (3 for 147). The visitors were cruising at 120 for 3 in reply after knocks of 51 from Zak Hussain and 45 from Mahmood Ali so Gotham turned to usual second teamer and occasional bowler Richard Pitt. The results were phenomenal as wickets tumbled and Caribs were all out for 168 with Pitt claiming 7 for 19.

So it’s between Caribs, Gotham and Rolls Royce for the promotion slots with second placed Loughborough joining the Leicestershire League. Rolls showed no mercy to struggling Keyworth who are relegated following this crushing defeat. There is no better new ball partnership than that of Jason Gorman (3 for 24) and Saleem Karim and the pair had the visitors in trouble long before Ansar Khan (4 for 17) arrived to polish off the tail. Rolls were in a hurry to finish the job off with Rahim Karim crashing an unbeaten 100 in just 70 balls.

There were three centuries at Ellerslie with Clifton Village II’s pairing of Luke Gunn (130) and Anthony Hart (115*) relishing the sort boundaries as the visitors posted a huge 340. Not even a second successive century from the talented Husnain Riaz (101) could deliver victory for Ellerslie who finished on 293.

The season can’t end soon enough for Newstead Village who slumped to another defeat at Loughborough (127) who had Shane Litchfield (54*), Nitan Desai (4 for 39) and Andy Harland (3 for 44) playing leading roles.

 Moving into C and the promotion race has again been blown wide open with five teams still in with a good shout of honours. The day began with Kirkby Portland returning to the top, chasing down 210 at home to Wollaton II thanks to an unbeaten 89 from Steve Betteridge. Earlier, Tom Newcombe had taken 6 for 46. Collingham, always amongst  the front runners  have slipped to fifth after a 33 run defeat at Attenborough II (132) who had Arjun Singh (3 for 20) and Carl Whelan (3 for 22) bowling them to victory.

From hanging around the mid table region for most of the season, a fine run of form has seen Plumtree II launch themselves into second. Saturday saw a good team effort dispose of Bramcote (192) by 20 runs. Despite a battling performance, the losers are now relegated. Don’t write off Radcliffe II, they move into third after 73 from Mark Noblet and 54 from Lee Houghton saw them to victory at home to West Bridgfordians (193).

Gedling Colliery II are finally over the finishing post in D, however they literally stumbled over the line, falling to a fourth successive defeat but gaining the four points necessary. Previously second Fiskerton lose their slot after crashing to a 99 run reversal at Willoughby (280) who had Ajay Sharma (65) and Lee Hamilton (56) in form.

 Wilson’s take Fiskerton’s place after a superb spell from Doud Ali (8 for 25) bowled them to victory at Risley 108 who themselves had a bowling hero in fifteen year old Jay Harper who claimed a hat trick.

Another day another win for Thrumpton in E, this one, a 26 run win over Stanton by Dale (117) gave them a richly deserved promotion. Joining them in D next season will be Hoveringham who secured their seventh successive promotion, an outstanding achievement! Chasing a tricky 220 at home to Chilwell, Stuart Walton returned to form with an unbeaten 114 in an innings which saw the losers relegated.

Ellerslie are up in F after 69 from Nadeem Akhtar stroked his side to victory at Bottesford II (174) who are now relegated. Earlier in the game, Sarmad Masud’s five wicket haul made it 36 victims for the season.

The other promotion slot though is going to the wire with comfortable wins for both Eastwood II and Kirkby Portland II. Elsewhere, Notts Unity Casuals II (153) win mean they live to fight another week, opponents Wymeswold fought  back from 30 to 6, only to fall three runs short.

Whatton and Aslockton are now 71 points clear in G and Alex White’s three wickets in their 66 run win at closes rivals Beeston and Toton Sycamore (129) means that the seamer  requires just two more victims to break the magical fifty mark. Sycamore’s defeat means renewed hope for East Leake who scraped home against Epperstone (101) thanks to four wickets apiece from Andrew Elkington and Steve Oakley.

Congratulations go to Burton Joyce who are promoted in H and what better way to do than by defeating your closest rivals. Chasing 161 to win at Lowdham the winners got home thanks to knocks of 37 from Kris Seymour and 33 from Mark Alderson.

West Bridgfordians III sneak into third after chasing down 171 at home to Snibston Grange with Bryn Orme (78*) the match winner. At the wrong end of the table a three run win for Hyson Green II over Basford Hall OB (182) keeps their hopes of avoiding the drop alive. For the winners, Donald Jarratt (50), Akbar Ali (3 for 10) and Shazar Sharron (3 for 41) were instrumental in the success.

In J Lenton Abbey return to the top with Dave Forde (97) the catalyst of their 113 run win over bottom club Beeston and Toton II (82). The game of the day though was at Flintham though where the home side recovered from 28 to 4 to record a six wicket win against previous leaders Sutton Bonnington (154) thanks to Alex Hemstock (58*) and Matt Lyas (51*). It’s still all to play for with Lenton Abbey meeting Sutton in the final game.

From leading the table from the start, another defeat for Kimberley III in K saw them lose top spot to Ruddington. There seemed no danger as relegated Stapleford could only muster 83 at Newdigate Street. However a combination of atrocious batting and inspiring bowling from the father and son combination of Neil (3 for 47) and Darren Gelder (6 for 33) saw the home side slump to 45 for 9 before Ben Millington clobbered 37 precious runs. However, with victory just two runs away, Millington was caught at the wicket.

It’s been a memorable year for Thrumpton II who join their first team in the honours with promotion from L. The highlight of their nine wicket win at Gedling Colliery III (108) was a five wicket haul for Trevor Vennett Smith. Balderton II still look odds on to join them, but suffered a 7 run reversal at Shepshed Town III (171) who had Liam Bates firing a half century. The individual performance of the day in this division cane at Underwood II where home batsman Dean Freeman belied his thirteen years to strike a match winning 75 at home to Belton (201) who had John Shillam agonisingly dismissed on 99.

Congratulations go to Hucknall III who are promoted from M with Nigel Lobb striking 53 out of the 76 required to defeat Stanton by Dale II (75). Nervy times for second place Broad Street who fell to a six wicket defeat at home to Radcliffe on Trent III (150) who had Chris Lorkin unbeaten on 76 at the close.

Young Lions go up from N whilst in the same division, thirteen year old Peter Vladev bowled superbly to take 6 for 6 in his Ellerslie III’s 71 win at hapless Kirkby Portland III (44).

Finally there was a vital relegation clash in P and Kimberley IV won it with Becky Widdowson (4 for 21) the star of her teams eight wicket win at home to Unity Casuals III (103) who are relegated as a result.