Resounding defeat for title holders Papplewick and Linby
by Paul Barker, 22nd June 2002

Another resounding defeat saw title hopefuls Papplewick and Linby gain hardly any advantage over league leaders Cutthorpe who had a week off this Saturday.

After last week's heavy defeat against Cutthorpe, Papplewick must have been hoping to get things back on the right track as they faced Mansfield Hosiery Mills on Saturday but alas it was to go monumentally wrong.

Batting first Papplewick had no answer to New Zealander Bradley Scott who took 7 for 27, and spin king Dave Loveridge (3 for 12) as they were bowled out for just 62. This target proved no obstacle to Hosiery Mills who won as they pleased by seven wickets. Jeff Appleton (32 n.o.) and Darren Johnson (21 n.o.) eased their side to victory and Papplewick's only consolation was the bowling of Simon Roberts who bagged all three wickets at a cost of just 23 runs.

Hosiery Mills are now beginning to show the form that was expected of them after a quite disastrous start to the season. Papplewick certainly need to arrest the slump quickly after two consecutuive defeats. They are a good side as they have shown in most matches but they certainly have an infuriatingly inconsistency problem.

Cuckney battered Worksop who are becoming isolated at the foot of the table to move up to second place in the league. Australian Bryn Gaunt hammered a brilliant unbeaten 166 and aided and abetted by Ian Morley (82) they reached a massive 279 for 3.

This was far too many for Worksop and only Simon Brooks (31) showed much application as they slumped to a 136 run defeat. Linden Joseph (4 for 28) and Gavin Johnson (3 for 45) did the damage as Worksop were dismissed for just 143 and the alarm bells must be ringing round Central Avenue already.

Farnsfield returned back to winning ways after their shocking upset at Killamarsh last weekend. They piled up the highest score of the day making 293 for 2 with James Bennett (143) and Andy Edwards (114 n.o.) batting magnificently on a superb wicket at Station Lane. This pair added 253 runs for the second wicket and opponents Thoresby Colliery wilted visibly under this massive onslaught.

Thoresby never really looked like reaching this target but did bat reasonably well with Australian Scott Lindsay making 62 and Martin Cheshire 41. Spin was to be their downfall however as Steve Randall (5 for 69) and John Musgrove (4 for 16) bowled them out with a mere two balls remaining for 198 to give Farnsfield a 95 run win and put them quickly back on the winning trail.

Kiveton Park are another side who have come back to form strongly in the last two weeks and have moved up to third position after an easy 67 run win over Killamarsh. Batting first Kiveton reached 200 all out with Richard Grainger (68) and Richard Spurr (48) leading the way. Spin bowling was the demon here also as Parmindar Mudhar (5 for 49) bowled superbly with strong back-up work from Rodney Cook and Peter Allen who bagged a brace of wickets each.

Killamarsh never threatened this target and were bowled out for just 133 with Australian Steve Frost (7 for 33) leading the way in great style. Only Cameron Belshaw (48) showed much resistance to Frost's accurate slow bowling and Andy Norbury helped the Aussie by nicking a couple of wickets to help to secure the victory.

After a disappointing spell Glapwell came back to firm with a huge 120 run win over Arnold who are sinking fast. Nick Truswell batted superbly to reach 71, but Glapwell were indebted to some awful undisciplined bowling from Arnold who conceded 44 extras including an amazing 17 wides. Three bowlers did record useful figures however with Ian Flood (3 for 59), Rick Peacock (4 for 26) and Andy Rann (3 for 41) but the extras total was abysmal to say the very least.

In reply the Arnold batting simply sunk without trace as they were all back inside for just 62. Matthew Hall (3 for 36), Andy Pick (4 for 15) and Dean Graney (3 for 0) creating maximum damage to a side who must now look for a big improvement before relegation stares them in the face.