Top performances wiped out by downpour
by Dennis Wright, 20th July 2002

69 games were washed out to the downpour that hit most of Nottingham at 5pm on Saturday. Promising 1st innings were wiped away along with a number of top performances.

League President Joe Mitchell rolled back the years taking 6/18 for Nottingham, in 1B against Loughborough. Paul Nott hit 75 for Newstead in the same league. Richard Shelton came through a lean patch with a fine 80 for Wymeswold at home to Willoughby. In 1E, Awsworth's Martin Yard, in excellent form at the moment, hit 89 against Long Whatton; and Chris Mason 81, for Ravenshead against Snibston.

Teams faired as badly in the 2nd XI competition. Southwell's Andrew Smith took 6/49 to dismiss Hucknall for just a 100, but then were thankful for the rain being 9/3 in reply when it fell.

Just 10 games reached a conclusion with most having a bearing on relegation or promotion. Farndon boosted their survival hopes with a comfortable 7 wicket victory over bottom club Ruddington in 1D. John Hammond hit 62 as Ruddington scored 153/8. Farndon, thanks mainly to Ian Robinson's 75*, reached the target with overs and wickets to spare.

Two games in 1H saw a result with Carrington Cavaliers' continued improvement keeping them well up with the promotion hunt but being pushed all the way by a Poplars side full of spirit. Carrington batting first scored 186 with Poplars' Nigel Jones 4/25 and Kevin Stephenson 4/50 responsible for maintaining a reasonable target. Poplars, through Nigel Jones 76, came within 21 runs before losing their last wicket. Breaston had little trouble overcoming Bingham's total of 146 with Simon Park 57 and Trevor Daft putting on 130 for the 1st wicket for Breaston who eventually won by 8 wickets.

In the 2nd XI competition Wollaton, 54/4 are the team in form, this time dismissing Long Eaton for 53, Matt Adams 7/21 the top bowling performance of the day. Top batsman goes to Stanton by Dale II's Phil Gregory who notched 126 in his side's 245/8. Dave Alton hit 49 while R.Taylor 5/48 was easily Newark's best performer. Chris Gough 4/20 helped restrict Newark to just 154/6 in reply.

Second place Chilwell II beat third place Hucknall III in a game completed in atrocious weather that made a mockery of the game. Having dismissed Hucknall for just 64, with captain Peter Stewart taking 5/16, Chilwell reached their target with 8 wickets to spare. West Bridgford Legion improved their chances of survival with their second win of the season. Farndon II had been dismissed for 159 with Steve Davis taking 7/46. Dave Walters then set about the Farndon bowlers scoring 74 in his side's winning total of 160/7.

In 2G Clifton Village III and Snibston Grange II both took advantage of Toton Sycamore II's loss at home to Cotgrave II. Batting first, Cotgrave were dismissed for just 63 with Rahul Sarwal taking 4/17 but then Harry Shin turned in a match-winning bowling performance of 6/27 to skittle Sycamore out for just 58.

Clifton's Greg Roberts 4/8 helped restrict Edingley II to 90, a figure Clifton passed with 5 wicket to spare. Lowdham fared no better as they were shot out for 76, thanks to Barry Kendit 5/7 and then Andy Towell hit 50* as Snibston move 3rd with a 10 wicket victory.