South Nottinghamshire Cricket League

Long Eaton’s stay at the top in Division A lasted for all of seven days as they were brutally battered by closest rivals Gedling and Sherwood who swiftly recovered from their first setback the previous weekend.

Long serving Paul McMillan (6 for 26), who already had two five wicket hauls to his name this season picked up the prize wicket of Umar Hassan for just 2 and followed this up later in the innings with a hat trick, all bowled! Shaun Carmody (4 for 21) was again a superb ally as the visitors could only muster a measly 57. Samrat Sharma (26*) and Carl Blake ensured the reply went according to plan and Long Eaton ended the game pointless.

  Bottom club Newstead Village would have been satisfied by restricting visitors Calverton to 147 in their reduced 40 over allocation. There was a further six wicket haul for Pakistani Irfanuddin, though Steve Daykin (four stumpings) played his part too. However it is clear where the Newstead frailties lie this season, slumping to 95 all out in pursuit with Billie Armstrong, who has really stepped up to the plate this season, taking 4 for 27.

Keyworth (76) are another side who have begun badly and they came up short again on Saturday at home to Southwell. The visitors posted a useful 160 thanks to an unbeaten 62 from Stuart Grimley. In reply, Stephen Wright exploited the conditions perfectly taking 4 for 33 as the home side caved in.

Attenborough bowled well to contain home team Radcliffe on Trent to 146. Fifteen year old Dominic Harvey was the star taking 3 for 22. Harvey was ably assisted by Martin Rayner and South African Craig Woods who took a couple of wickets apiece. In reply, stand in opener Ben Sheppard (51) and Ian Baddeley (promoted from the second team) saw the visitors to victory with eight balls to spare. Attenborough share fourth spot with Calverton.

Second placed Loughborough Carillon travelled to improving Rolls Royce Leisure in B and were involved in a thriller. Rolls made a mockery of the bowler friendly conditions, posting 219 with Saleem Karim (71) and Tony Coupe (47) the chief contributors. Loughborough’s reply was built around the talented Pallav Patel (88) who made his first telling contribution of the season,  student Geroge Webber also chipped in with 50 and the visitors went into the final over requiring six for victory. However veteran Alan Pearson had the ball and used all his experience to limit the runs, four were required off the final ball and only one was achieved. An excellent game and one would guess that both teams wont be far from the promotion picture come September.

Newly promoted Clifton Village II have surprised some quarters with their impressive start. On Saturday Kirkby Portland, chasing 191 for victory clung on for the final two overs, falling 9 runs short. The old hands certainly took centre stage for Clifton with Pete Fairhall contributing 61 and 3 for 45 and Jeff Kemp 3 for 36.

Kimberley II’s Paul Blatherwick rolled back the years to the mid nineties claiming four Gotham Village scalps. Richard Adams (3 for 37) also gave the first team a timely reminder as the home side recorded 152. However the visitors batting inconsistencies again came to a head, occasional bowler Shane Litchfield claiming three victims as Kimberley slumped to 97 all out.

The game of the day in C was the visit of unbeaten Collingham to Hucknall. Fifteen year old Max Thompson (3 for 26) again impressed, taking the prize scalp of David Pipes early doors. Three wickets also for Jamie Braybrooke as the leaders finished on a below par 134. Three cheap wickets fell in Hucknall’s reply before skipper Scott Harris (52*) and Andy Foster (39*)took control. Pipes’ miserable afternoon was complete when he was walloped for 20 in his only over.

Nottingham and Bramcote, two teams who stayed up on the final day of last season met at Adbolton and a good all round team performance saw the visitors leave with maximum points.

Nottingham recorded an early success but then Dave Green and Norman Jowett (26) dug in. Pretty it certainly wasn’t but the duo battled hard in the gloomy conditions to ensure no further wickets fell by the half way stage. Pete Jordan and Manawar Sultan then claimed two quick wickets apiece and at 86 for 5 Nottingham  must have had high hopes of keeping the visitors below 140. However some inept bowling and fielding, together with some positive batting by Matt Pavis (35) saw Bramcote  reach an unexpected 172. Green was finally out leg before for 56 having done what was asked of him.

The tone of Nottingham’s reply was set as early as the second over when Sultan sliced a long hop straight to backward point. The home side’ s batting display was nothing short of woeful as wickets were thrown away. One exception to this was Darren Shaw (58) who batted brilliantly in a losing cause. Shaw was the last man out as the innings finished on 94 with Mark Spibey (4 for 15) and spinner Pete Hollingsworth (3 for 26) being the main tormentors.

Nottingham stay off the bottom though due to another defeat by Fiskerton who are finding the step up a tricky one to date.  Entertaining West Bridgfordians the strugglers racked up 187, yet Henry Straw (85), Paul Garton (43) and skipper Jon Sheard (32) made light work of this as the winners moved up to mid table, Sheard had earlier taken five wickets with the ball.

Wollaton II are the new leaders in D as Attenborough II suffered a second successive setback and again it was the chasing of a small total that proved their undoing. Visitors Long Whatton managed 126 with skipper Carl Whelan and Alan Moss each taking three wickets. However the home side couldn’t cope with Mark Lester (6 for 12) and fell 26 runs short.

Last week Ian Black of Newark bowled his team to their first victory of the season. He so nearly repeated the feat on Saturday but despite his 4 for 19 home team Wilsons (106 for 8) success fully chased the modest target.

There was no game for leaders Nuthall in E, but Gedling Colliery II closed the gap after a mauling of Calverton II. Mike Bailey, who could still do a job in the top league claimed 5 for 11 and young Adam Burton 3 for 4 as the home side managed just 72. Zaheer Rehman (45*) and Graham Burton (26*) ensured there were no hiccups in response.

Farndon have pushed themselves into the promotion frame after a close fought five run victory at Caythorpe III wit the losers requiring a six off the final ball for victory.Mark Townrow 52,  Andrew Laughton (3 for 30) and Srishan Parry (3 for 55) all played a major part in the victory.

There’s no change in the top three in Divsion F as Kinoulton and Chilwell made short work of their opponents.  Leaders Chilwell in particularly were brutal as Matt Murfin (6 for 15) and Paul Fletcher (4 for 18) bowled out West Bridgford Legion for 59, the winners got the runs in just 12 overs thanks to Jason Woolliscroft (39*).

The top two met in G and East Bridgford (192 for 7) closed the gap on leaders Kirkby Portland II (166). Kirkby’s Adie Severn (5 for 54) made it 15 wickets in three games yet Andy Wright stole the show in the home team’s  total. In reply, James Wood struck 8, but lacked support resulting in a first defeat for the North Notts side.

Beeston and Toton Sycamore are improving as Steve James top scored with 90 out of 191 at home to bottom club Gotham II. Yet James could not claim man of the match as Tony Beck (8 for 14) tore through the Gotham line up.

In H, three wickets apiece for Lee Godhania, Nitant Desai and Ian Huskinson helped restrict Cotgrave to 109. However Loughborough Carillon II slipped to 66 for 7 in reply before skipper Huskinson guided his troops home with an unbeaten 58, Loughborough stay second.

Given the days sporting wickets there were just the two centuries scored in the league. Ex Arnold man Jamie Marchant, now captain of Division H side Lambley recorded the highest,  112, out of just 140 in their win at home to bottom club Edingley. 

Its six out of six for Burton Joyce in J as they made light work of Stapleford (57), Ken Scholey claiming four wickets. Wins too for the chasing duo of West Bridgfordians II and Basford Hall OB, and for Rolls Royce Leisure II who had spinner Kevin Pearson claiming 5 for 23 in their win at Sutton Bonington (81).

In K there was no game for Flintham but Lenton Abbey kept up the pressure with a comfortable win at Willoughby II (89). Struggling Risley II were bowled out for 79 thanks to Glen Fairhall (5 for 11). In reply Clifton Village didn’t look in discomfort at 56 for 2. However a superb spell of bowling from 14 year old Jack Partington (5 for 18) almost won the game, but Clifton scraped home with a wicket to spare.

One of the few remaining 100% per cent records went in L on Saturday with defeat for Caythorpe IV at Long Whatton II, this was despite a half century from Ian Jones. Keyworth II now join Caythorpe IV at the summit with a comfortable six wicket win at Stanton by Dale II (139), Richard Drury striking an unbeaten 60 for the winners. Elsewhere in L, Steve Sheehan notched his second century of the season as his Thrumpton II side hammered Thurgarton II (98) by 95 runs.

The remarkable scoring exploits of Mark Fish continue in M. The Fiskerton II  player struck another 73 to take his tally past 400 for the season. Fiskerton (171) ran out  easy winners at Radcliffe on Trent III (72).

Wins for the top two of Ellerslie III and Broad Street in N. West Bridfordians III remain hot on their heels though after crushing Snibston Grange II. The visitors meandered  along to just 68 in their  40 overs. The game soon livened up after tea though as an unbeaten 43 from Bob Douglas saw the winners achieve their target in just 13 overs.

After five straight defeats Kimberley IV badly needed a victory but that was looked extremely doubtful at the interval, managing just 84 against Ruddington II. However, a career best 5 for 18 from Sam Freeman shot the visitors for 69 and allowed the winners to move off the bottom of the table.

Finally in R, Grant Newcombe of Thrumpton III took for 4 for 11 as bottom club Edingley II fell to 89 all out. Yet the strugglers fought back to leave the visitors reeling on 34 for 5 in response. Enter who else but Newcombe (25*) who together with Markhan Sangha  (32*) saw the winners home without any further alarms.