Report 13.8.11
Gunn and Moore South Notts Cricket League Report Saturday 13 August 2011
By Phil Johnson
Plumtree can now see the finishing post in Belle and Jerome Division A and require 30 points from their remaining three games for a return to The Premier League.
Batting was unquestionably the winner in their game home fixture against Southwell with the visitors making a good start through Tim Green (53) and Sam Johnson (88). Freddie Sail and Alistair Haynes carried on the good work at the death and Southwell finished on 229 with only Kulvern Kandola (2 for 48) enjoying relative success.
Plumtree suffered an early setback with opener Steve James being dismissed first ball but that didn’t deter the prolific Hassan Azad. The Academy’s loss was Plumtree’s gain as the teenager cracked a brilliant undefeated 122. Supported by Nigel Finney (40) and Matthew Wood (50*) the winners cruised to victory with eight wickets and overs remaining.
Notts Unity saw their title hopes delivered a crushing blow after they failed to knock off 126 at home to Radcliffe.
The visitors have been out of form recently and were without the influential Rob Sutton whilst the overseas Josh Brodie has unfortunately had to return home. Eddie Torr (27) once again chipped in and number 9 Jordan Harbottle (17) added runs late on but 126 is really well below par. For Unity there were wickets for Ravinderpal Singh (3 for 15), Usman Aziz (3 for 28) and James Marshall (2 for 15) on a spinner friendly track.
However, Torr’s day wasn’t finished yet as he knocked back Singh’s stumps third ball followed by McDonald and Marshall to leave the home side in tatters on 2 for 3. The rest of the innings was a sterile affair as Unity inched towards the target. Fifty three overs they batted for and they still couldn’t force victory with a last wicket mix up accounting for Younis Sohail run out with nine runs still required for victory. For Radcliffe, Torr finished with 4 for 19 whilst Cambridge University student Frankie Brown (3 for 34) and 13 year old Connor Marshall (2 for 30) spun their way to success.
The remainder of the action in A centred around the foot of the table and Balderton earned 20 priceless points against Hyson Green who probably need to win at least two games to survive.
Balderton recorded their highest score of the season (242) and it was skipper Alan Jackson (96) that led from the front. Aided by Chris Dobbie (54*) and 51 extras it left the visitors with a mountain to climb despite the efforts of Mark Lewis (3 for 52) who is the brother of ex England star Chris.
It was undoubtedly captain’s day with Zak Hussain (71) showing the way in the reply. The game was in the balance for long periods but the run out of Suhail Ahmed (26) proved crucial and Dobbie wrapped up a 9 run victory by bowling Waqas Shafaz with seven balls remaining.
No such joy for Attenborough though who slip back into the bottom two following a 20 run reversal at Hucknall (199).
The home side recovered from a sticky start thanks to the middle order of Richard Greatorex (50) and Lee Smith (41). What proved decisive though was a last wicket partnership of 26 between Adam Scott and keeper Tom Walters. For Attenborough Martin Rayner (3 for 54) and Arjun Singh (3 for 43) did well whilst Carl Whelan (2 for 47) also impressed on his return to the first team.
The losers started badly too but Sam Clulow (70) maintained his improved form. Unfortunately, with the exception of Martin Shoemaker (51) there was little support as Josh Buckley (5 for 74) and Robin Maxwell (3 for 39) won the game.
Ellerslie are almost safe after a thrilling victory over Rolls Royce Leisure.
Rolls took first knock and opener Wasim Karim (82) carried on from where he left off last week, as did brother Rahim (54) in the middle order. Rolls finished on 216 but gave the home side an over which would prove fatal. For the home side Jurgen Charlesworth and Tariq Mahmood each finished with three wickets.
Ellerslie’s top order performed well in the shape of Jonathan Wakeling (74) and Dan Mierklans (50) but Rahim (2 for 47) and Liquat Ali (2 for 56) kept chipping away and the final extra over arrived with Ellerslie requiring 6 to win.
Two wickets fell in five balls before Charlesworth hit the final ball for four to secure a two wicket victory.
Clifton Village II require just three points to claim the title in Cucamara Division B and yet again it was their strength in depth that proved the key.
Plumtree II, who needed the points for altogether different reasons, batted well scoring 237 with Justin Stockdale hitting 90. Lots of batsmen made starts for Clifton but all got out and at 162 for 6 the odds were in favour of the visitors, especially with Clifton fielding only ten players due to a very late withdrawal through illness.
However, Anthony Hart (63*) had been patiently accumulating runs at one end, and he was joined by Paul MacMillan who struck an unbeaten 45 in just 33 balls to rack up win number eleven.
West Bridgfordians now sit firmly in pole position for the runners up spot and in doing so probably ended Gedling Colliery’s promotion aspirations.
It was agony for Colliery’s 15 year old starlet Rhys Hayes who couldn’t get the strike in the final over and finished unbeaten on 99. Lee Gomersall (46*) hit some blows late on to see Colliery end on 230 for 3.
West Bridgford also batted well headed by Henry Straw who added 83 to his 94 the previous week. Andrew Sharpe added 67 and despite a couple of late wickets, skipper Oliver Straw saw his team home with 33 in 18 balls.
We say farewell in B to Gedling and Sherwood who suffered their second successive relegation.
It was another woeful display from the bottom club, being bowled out for 131 with veteran David Pipes (5 for 24) the pick of the Collingham attack.
Despite losing two early wickets, Collingham wasted no time in wrapping up an easy win thanks to Pipes (58*) and Oliver Dyson (37*).
After a couple of victories, it was a bad day at the office for Gotham Village who stay out of the relegation places by the skin of the teeth.
Batting first, there was a second century in four weeks for Scott Andrew (117). Willie Armstrong (42) and Darren Wright (39) also took advantage of a below par attack to finish on 276.
Gotham were never at the races with the bat and were 40 for 4 in reply but the middle and late order at least battled and led by Paul Blatherwick (56) the hosts clung on for a losing draw which just might prove crucial in three weeks time. Brinsley Kirkham (3 for 66) and Kyle Welch (3 for 44) impressed for Calverton but no one could dislodge the final pair of Johnny Boyes and Luke Prettyjohn who batted out the last seven overs.
In Rothera Dowson Division C, Wollaton Ii took a giant stride to the title by defeating nearest challengers Kirkby Portland (159) by 33 runs. It was a real team effort again by the winners with Andy Bayley (33), Suman Shrestha (32* & 2 for 42), Alec Cobbett (3 for 35) and Adam Davies (3 for 28) all playing their part. In a disappointing display, Kirkby only got close thanks to 55 extras.
Kirkby are certainly going through a rough patch, but so are promotion rivals Kimberley II who got the worst of the draw at improving Attenborough II.
The hosts racked up 215 with the evergreen Mick Aplin (43) and young Luis Holliday (42) the chief contributors. Kimberley tried to chase it down but ended 23 runs short with Tim Cauldwell (3 for 47) the pick of the home sides attack.
Radcliffe II missed an opportunity to put pressure on the leading clubs by falling to a four wicket defeat at home to inconsistent Hoveringham.
Radcliffe made 197 with Adrian Tomkins (59) batting well after his promotion from the third team. The home team then committed the cardinal sin of dropping Ben Lee twice in single figures and Hoveringham’s skipper went on to make a match winning 90 with keeper Richard Coleman (28*) seeing him team home with eight overs remaining. Earlier in the day, Murray De Bank (4 for 45) and Steven Campbell (3 for 26) had kept the home side in check.
The drama in the division all came at Thurgarton with a thrilling final ball climax.
Visitors Gedling Colliery II had put a much a much sterner challenge than the previous week by posting 191 but how Colliery must be sick of the sight of Colin Cliff who fired his second century in seven days in the reply.
There were five runs required off the final over with three wickets remaining. It looked all over when a four was struck off the third delivery but then came two catches in two balls, including Cliff. It was all down to last man Amman Singh and the teenager hit the ball to mid wicket, ran for his life and just made it home despite a huge appeal from Gedling for a run out. Colliery remain in the bottom two.
Wilsons said goodbye to C following a six wicket reversal at home to improving Newstead Village.The losers fared better than in recent weeks and made 174 but Newstead passed that with some to spare thanks to Danny Greenhalgh (47 and 2 for 40) , Andy Paulson (29) and Adam Kalka (27*).
It really is too close to call in Milward Print Division D with one point separating the top three sides.
It looked like a routine victory was on the cards for Keyworth at Willoughby (126) but four wickets each for Gino Taj and man of the match Ben Boot secured an unlikely 40 run win in the local derby.
Risley (155) though failed to capitalise and came off second best at Southwell II (191) with the Bowie brothers of Mark (62* & 2 for 22) and George (60 & 2 for 55) playing leading roles.
All this means is that you can’t write off Bottesford from the promotion picture just yet after they emerged triumphant off the last ball at home to Long Whatton (189).
There is no again no change in Star Foundation Division E with Hucknall II and Ellerslie II getting ever closer to promotion, even more so when Ellerslie’s five wicket win came at third placed Farndon (154). The great escape is still very much on for Wymeswold as they passed Underwood’s 165 with seven balls remaining thanks to another starring role from Richard Shelton (44 & 4 for 43).
In F, Kinoulton will be joined in E next season by Eastwood II who make a swift return after comfortably disposing of Chilwell (113). Bottom club Epperstone haven’t had much to cheer about in 2011 but they secured their second win of the season by edging a close game with Stanton by Dale (146) failing to acquire the boundary required off the final delivery.
Belvoir II march on at the top of GB Bookkeeping Division II, but they were given a hell of a fright at relegated Oxton, recovering from 32 for 6 to chase down the 107 required. John Copley (48*) and Paul Adams (15*) were the men responsible for the match winning partnership.
Burton Joyce are cementing their position in second after Gavin Baguley hit 81 against his former club to ensure his team ran out winners by five wickets at home to Gotham II (177).
Division H leaders Flintham H lost the league’s leading run scorer Matt Lyas in the first over, however Alex Hemstock, Bob Chapple and Tom Lyas all hit fifties and this paved the way for a 46 run win at Bramcote II (186).
Kimberley III held the upper hand at tea in the big clash in J. However they failed to chase a mediocre 140, and four wickets each for Adam Pick and Kamran Rasheed secured a 48 run win for Thrumpton II.
There was also some relief for doomed Basford Hall OB where figures of 6 for 8 for Wayne Simpson saw fellow strugglers Edingley bowled out for 60.
Plumtree III remain top in K, but only just after nudging past promotion rivals Clifton Village III (146). The heroes of the day were Jamie Hahn (69 & 3 for 35) and the final pair of Len Jackson and Ken Carter who cobbled together the ten runs required.
The proud unbeaten record of young Lions in King Stone Products Division L finally came to an end on Saturday, falling sixteen runs short of Stapleford’s 157. For the winners, Gary Dawson (74 and 4 for 33) was the star man.
The gap between second and third in M narrowed somewhat on Saturday following Thurgarton II’s 57 run success at Chilwell II (122). Thurgarton are on an excellent run at present and had Vic Foulkes and spinner Neil Smith taking three wickets each.
Staying in M and West Bridgfordians IV took just 17 overs to beat woeful Wymeswold II (27) with Tom Crossland grabbing five wickets and Tim Martin three.
The day’s best bowling figures went to Khalim Mohammed of Madni (251) in Division N as his 7 for 29 saw Lowdham II shot out for 86.
Finally, another team gathering momentum on a late run are Poplars in Oval Property Finance Division P. The third place team only made 121 at home to leaders Kinoulton II (71) but a hat trick from Vinay Bendigiri (5 for 26) capped a fine comeback.
