Cutthorpe take Bassetlaw title
by Paul Barker, 7th September 2002

Cutthorpe who have looked the favourites for the title from the early stages of the season, made sure that the honours were theirs when they were rained off in their match against nearest rivals Kiveton Park on Saturday.

The conclusion was rather anti-climatical as Cutthorpe had got away to a rattling good start and stood at 157 for 3 with Andy Thompson (44), Asadullah Butt (30 n.o.) and Mark Cluer (40 n.o.) all batting well before the heavens opened and no more play was possible.

It is a deserved success for a very good side who have lost only two league matches all season and have resisted everything that a good Kiveton Park side has thrown at them all season.

Whilst it was joy for Cutthorpe, it was sheer misery for Worksop who were relegated in ignominious fashion by a buoyant Killamarsh side who have acquitted themselves very well as the season progressed after a depressing start.

Batting first Killamarsh walloped a limited Worksop attack for a massive 282 for 4 with Rob Carlisle (60), Australian Cameron Belshaw (88 n.o.) Peter Allen (44) and David Allen (62 n.o.) thrashing the ball to all parts of the ground with consummate ease.

Facing this huge total, Worksop showed that their batting was as bad as their bowling had been, as they were blasted out for a pitiful 83. Rodney Cook with 3 for 28 was the pick of the Killamarsh attack whilst Des Barton, Steve Ludlam and Lee Bradbury picked up a brace of wickets each.

Farnsfield came to grief by seven wickets against Papplewick who once again proved they have no equals when they are playing well. Consistency has once again been the problem for Papplewick this season and if they could have found it they would certainly have run Cutthorpe a lot closer than they have.

Batting first Farnsfield got away to a poor start but good work by skipper Phil Creswell (58) and Mark Hallam (33 n.o.) saw them close on 163 for 8 with Jim Rhodes claiming 3 for 44.

Papplewick then roared away to a hurricane start and knocked off the runs with plenty of overs to spare. Wayne Noon made a terrific unbeaten 68 and Simon Roberts a cultered 50 as Papplewick reached 167 for 3 with ridiculous ease.

Glapwell look to have done rather well when they limited Cuckney to 169 for 7 with Ian Morley top scoring on 36 and Gary Saxby being the pick of a tidy attack with 3 for 20.

However things are never as easy as they seem and ‘spin twins’ Matt Sangar (3 for 44) and Paul Gurnell had Glapwell in a tightened web and they closed on 122 for 6 with Nick Bircumshaw top scoring with 29. This was Glapwell’s ninth losing draw of the season but they are safe from relegation and the picking up a few points has been absolutely vital to them throughout the season.

Arnold were thwarted by the rain but possibly have only themselves to blame. Jeff Appleton was dropped before he had scored to a relatively easy catch and then went on to make 84 out of an Hosiery Mills total of 136 all out!

This score looked a long way off as Arnold were struggling on 48 for 4 when rain curtailed play and New Zealander Bradley Scott had bagged all four wickets at a cost of 21 runs. It was difficult to pick a winner at the time the game ended but if the catch to take Appleton had been accepted Hosiery Mills may well have been bowled out for about 60 which would have made a vast difference.

Second division champions North Wheatley simply roll on and on. They bowled Milton out for 161 with Kiwi Michael Davidson taking 6 for 73 in an unchanged spell. This target proved no contest as Wheatley coasted home by nine wickets with Dave Waller (51 n.o.) and Richard Robinson making a brilliant unbeaten 90 out of 164 for 1 which now takes them to a mammoth points total of 348 with one match still to play.

The second place is still very much in doubt with Bolsover now in that position after a comfortable 116 run win over a fading Blyth side. Batting first Bolsover made 237 for 4 with Tariq Rashid making a brilliant 105 n.o., and good support came from Duncan Thorpe (54) and skipper Jon Grant (43 n.o.).

Blyth were then bowled out for just 121 with only Mark Ambrose (32) saving them from further embarrassment. Chris Pemberton (3 for 38) was the pick of a Bolsover attack which all bowled well.

Ashover continue their gallop up the table moving into third place with victory over Anston. Kevin Godfrey (44) top scored for Ashover out of a modest total of 143 for 8 whilst Ian Barley (3 for 44) and Akilhesh Rana (3 for 45) bowled superbly for Anston.

Modest or not this total proved enough even after the Herculean efforts of skipper John Lyne who made a brilliant 70 for his side. As for the rest of the batting they found Charlie Gwillim (6 for 50) and Ian King (3 for 17) almost unplayable as Ashover added another 20 points to their ever increasing total.

Biwater Clay Cross who have recently turned over sides at the top (including North Wheatley) fell from grace with a resounding 85 run defeat against Edwinstowe. Batting first Edwinstowe reached a useful looking 181 for 6 with skipper Nigel Jackson batting particularly well to reach an unbeaten 73 and Ian Smith posting a classy 50. Ian Bettney once again bowled extremely well for Clay Cross taking 3 for 54.

This total proved far too much for Clay Cross who were bundled out for just 96 with Ally Rhodes (4 for 38) and Ian Smith (3 for 28) doing the damage.

Australian Paul Van den Heuval recorded his third century of the season (113) as Marshalls reached 181 for 4 against Everton. Good support came from Simon Doyle (37) as Everton produced one of their poorer performances in recent weeks. This was compounded as Mark Davies quickly took 3 for 22 as Everton struggled to 58 for 5 when rain curtailed play and robbed Marshalls of an almost certain 20 points.

Whitwell have had a miserable season and have only been saved from relegation by the fact that only the bottom club are going down this season. Eckington really put the to the sword at Station Road with Tom Dawson (98) and Jon Dyson (30 n.o.) taking their side to an imposing 230 for 8.

This proved much too much for Whitwell who were bowled out for just 92 with Wayne Dye being the main perpetrator of the rout taking 5 for 24.

Pilsley clinched the Division 3 title with a comfortable winning draw over Sheepbridge. Pilsley’s Pakistani batting sensation Saeed Bin Nasir made yet another century (154) this time plus good knocks by Dave Wright (59) and skipper John Worthy (61 n.o.) which saw their side reach the astronomical total of 306 for 3. Sheepbridge were on the verge of defeat at stumps and only James Lineker (49) saved them from that as they closed on 188 for 8. Ian Worthy was the best of the Pilsley bowlers taking 3 for 16.