Big guns all through to last eight!
by Paul Barker, 23rd June 2003

With no shocks taking place, the last eight of this season’s Tomlin Trophy has thrown up some mouth watering prospects with seven of the top nine sides in Division 1 and only Worksop from Division 2 being involved at the Quarter Final stage.

Top of the list is the potentially classic meeting of league leaders Retford and champions and beaten finalists of the last two seasons Cutthorpe meeting at the latter’s Recreation Ground venue. Farnsfield take on Killamarsh who are capable of upsetting the best on their day, whilst Worksop will be no pushovers at Central Avenue for Mansfield Hosiery Mills who have won the Trophy for the last two years.

Finally Kiveton Park will face and play hosts to Thoresby Colliery and the four sides who progress from those ties will certainly have earned their place in the semis.

In Sunday’s matches Blyth made the visit to Cutthorpe and batted quite well reaching 166 all out with Martin Court and Mark Ambrose both scoring 44 whilst Asadullah Butt 3 for 29 and Karl Fields 3 for 17 were the pick of the varied Cutthorpe attack. This was where the Blyth fairytale ended however as the supreme batting skills of Cutthorpe’s Nigel Kingham (58 n.o.), Asadullah Butt (36 n.o.) and Andy Thompson (44) saw their side home by eight wickets.

Few if any can match Cutthorpe in this weekend’s mood and Blyth did extremely well to stay with them for so long.

At Stone Close the home side Kiveton Park easily repelled the challenge of Division 3 side Papplewick and Linby 2nd. Papplewick batted first and were well served by Jamie Peat who made an excellent 60 but one had the idea that the final total of 157 for 6 was not likely to be enough. So it proved with Kiveton’s brilliant young Australian Matthew Williams scoring a brilliant 83 as Kiveton romped home with seven wickets to spare as they reached 161 for 3.

One match which was interesting was the Farnsfield v Marshalls match. Farnsfield have been in poor form lately (until yesterday) whilst Marshalls are riding high in Division 2 with big hopes for the future. As it turned out Farnsfield won quite easily by four wickets after Marshalls had fell some 40 runs short of the target needed on 161 for 5. The two Aussies Paul Van den Heuvel (47) and Tim Down (36) were well backed by Kevin Housham who made 31 but a few more runs were essential.

In reply Farnsfield ran out winners on 165 for 6 with Andy Edwards producing his best form of the season in making a superb unbeaten 81. Gary Peck blasted a further 30 whilst Mark Davies bowled well for Marshalls to record 3 for 23.

A tight struggle which could have gone either way saw Thoresby Colliery emerge victorious against West Indian Cavaliers 2nd . Batting first the Cavaliers reached 167 for 7 with Masood scoring a fine 55 and Bill Lippeatt bowling well to take 3 for 19.

Thoresby reached the target but it was oh so close with only two wickets left at the end. Nigel Burkitt (43 n.o.) played an invaluable innings and but for his efforts his side would have surely lost. Price (3 for 28) and Thomas (3 for 33) were the players who so nearly pulled of a shock for the Cavaliers but Thoresby go through to the last eight.

The best match of the day was at Retford where Pilsley from Division 2 gave the powerful home side a fright before going down by 35 runs. Batting first Retford were well served by skipper Steve Musgrove who made a brilliant 83. Nigel Hall (39) and Steve Randall (31 n.o.) kept the momentum going as they made a daunting 247 for 7 when the overs ran out.

Pilsley must have faced this target with trepidation but any side with the brilliant Pakistani Saed Bin Nasir in it cannot be taken lightly and he duly obliged with a sensational 90 runs which saw his side reach a highly creditable 212 for 9 at the close. He was given good support by Mark Limb who made 32 whilst Retford where well served by Sam Shepherd who took 3 for 43 in a pulsating match.

The highest score of the day was made by Division 2 side Worksop’s Steve Walker who struck a magnificent unbeaten 119 against Division 1 strugglers Bolsover. Walkers fabulous knock was well backed up by Richard Hare who made 62 as Worksop totalled a massive 259 for 6 in their 46 overs.

Bolsover were never likely to trouble this total and they finished their inning on 137 for 7 with Tariq Rashid again ploughing a lonely furrow making an impressive 43.

So the scene is set for some great games which must be completed by Sunday 3rd August. Watch this space for further exciting action.