Hosiery Mills strengthen hand
by Paul Barker, 18th July 2004

Whilst all the other sides are dropping points regularly Mansfield Hosiery Mills keep picking up maximums and at the rate things are going they will be crowned champions by about the middle of August.

On Saturday they easily saw off the challenge of Bridon who had been in excellent form recently by a massive 141 runs at Ordsall and at no time did any other result look likely. Right from the word go Hosiery Mills were in full cry with Matt Millns making an aggressive 76 and excellent and highly skillful support coming from skipper Mark Langford (52), and Sam Butler (51) as they piled up a staggering 247 for 8 when the overs ran out.

Simon Davison one of Bridon’s excellent young players bowled very well in the face of this onslaught to take 3 for 34 in a good spell but it proved to be all in vain. Not one of the Bridon batting line-up could cope with Asela Jayasinghe who ripped through some rather flimsy batting to take 6 for 20 in a tremendous spell of bowling.

Hosiery Mills are now 54 points clear of second place Kiveton Park and strange things do happen occasionally but this would need to be a minor miracle and it just isn’t going to happen!

Talking of Kiveton Park , and they were thwarted by the weather and opponents Edwinstowe in one of the most boring encounters ever witnessed at Stone Close. Batting first and after interludes for rain the game became a time match and this is where the problems started.

On the damp picture the Edwinstowe attack made full use of the conditions and Richard Gombos (3 for 26) and Brett Hallam (3 for 28) bowled superbly as Kiveton were dismissed for just 150 which would have been far worse had it not been for Lee Brooks who made a more than useful 31.

Now it must be remembered that Edwinstowe are bottom of the pile and every point to them is precious so with 30 overs to knock off this modest total one would have been excused for thinking that this was ‘manna from heaven’ for them.

Not a bit of it! Instead of taking the game to Kiveton and going all out for a maximum which was there for the taking, Edwinstowe decided that the ten points they had gained was enough. They finished on a miserable 67 for 1 when the overs ran out, and if this is their way of playing to save themselves from relegation, I cannot imagine any of the other sides in the top section hoping that they succeed.

Negative tactics have never succeeded and they won’t in this case. What made matters worse was that their Australian star Garth Brown did at least attempt to move things along with an unbeaten 52, but only eight runs were scored at the other end with the bat in as dour an exhibition as you are likely to see anywhere.

Cuckney were ruing the fact that it rained after their match had started against Cutthorpe. Batting first they stood at 25 for 1 when the rain fell but this served to spice the wicket up no end and Cutthorpe and Asadullah Butt in particular proved totally unplayable from this moment on.

Butt took a staggering 7 for 19 as the Cuckney batting folded like a pack of cards and were all out for just 50. Not that Cutthorpe had it all their own way with the bat as they lost four wickets before the winning hit was made.

Notts. & Arnold Amateur had their first positive result in seven matches when they pulled off a six wicket win against Thoresby Colliery who have gone to pieces in the last couple of matches. Batting first Thoresby were bowled out for just 99 runs with Andy Walters taking 3 for 33 to emerge as Notts. & Arnold Amateurs best bowler.

Despite a few hic-cups along the way the result never looked in much doubt and a typically aggressive knock of 31 n.o. by Bill Trewartha saw Notts. & Arnold home to a much needed win.

Farnsfield were blasted out at Park Avenue by Glapwell’s superb Kiwi pace bowler Ian O’Brien who took 7 for 37 in a magnificent spell of quick bowling. This meant Farnsfield only had a meagre 85 runs to defend and they never looked capable of doing this.

Glapwell skipper Andy Smith made 23, and Ian O’Brien completed a fine all round match by scoring 29 and saw their side coast to a seven wicket win to confirm the massive improvement which they have made this season.

Worksop who had suffered a horrible run of form came back with a bang to easily see off the challenge of struggling Blidworth by 61 runs. Batting first Worksop reached a rather useful looking 206 for 9 when the overs ran out with Steve Bentley (48), and Jamil Hassan (64) setting the pace. An entertaining cameo by Brad Moore (31 n.o.) came at the end whilst Russ Breedon (4 for 52) and Richard Smith (4 for 63) were the pick of the Blidworth attack.

In reply Blidworth were bowled out for 145 despite two excellent knocks from Andy Norwood (61) and Dave Willcock (30). The rest however totally collapsed against Tim Ward (3 for 25) and Steve Bentley who completed a fine all round match with 3 for 24.

In Division 2, two shock results led to Marshalls who are on paper the best side in the division going to where they should be, the top of the league. Marshalls themselves struggled against a determined Whitwell side before winning by just 18 runs in a low scoring encounter.

Batting first Marshalls could only muster 144 for 8 when their 46 overs ran out thanks in the main to Australian Tim Down who made a life-saving 56 for his side. Andrew Heath with 4 for 27 was the best of the Whitwell attack and they must have been rather pleased with their work at the half way mark.

It was not to be however despite yet another fine innings for Whitwell by Alan Draycott who made 53. Draycott must be one of the best batsmen in this division and Whitwell always have a chance whist he is at the crease. Once again it was the Marshalls skipper Kevin Housham who did the damage taking 5 for 35 in a great spell of slow bowling as Whitwell were dismissed for just 126. Marshalls now hold their destiny in their own hands and if they can keep their nerve and their players let their natural ability flow there is no reason why they shouldn’t finish the season in the position they are in now!

Papplewick & Linby 2 nd who were top came to grief against struggling Blyth who at last showed the sort of form everyone knows they are capable of. Batting first Blyth had the bludgeoning bat of Pete Jones to thank as he caned the Papplewick attack for a magnificent 89 out of a total of 172 for 9. For Papplewick Matt. Halford proved far too good for the rest of the Blyth batting taking a mightily impressive 7 for 43 in a terrific spell of bowling.

This target proved too much for the league leaders and only Gareth Rusinowski with 45 made much headway against Andy Barthorpe (4 for 55) and Pete Jones who enjoyed a great all round performance with 5 for 39 as Papplewick collapsed to 149 all out giving Blyth a 23 run win.

Blyth still have a lot to do but their confidence must have been lifted by this result and only a fool would write them off because there is certainly enough ability there to see them through even this.

Another side who have been struggling is North Wheatley with Leverton and they came good as well this weekend by seeing off third placed Killamarsh in an exciting encounter at South Wheatley. Batting first Killamarsh were in big trouble at 120 for 8 but a superb unbeaten 42 by Adrian Rivington helped them reach respectability at 187 for 8. James Crookes (3 for 30) and ever young Dave Edmunds (3 for 27) were the bowling heroes for North Wheatley.

In reply North Wheatley at last put it all together thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 84 by Dave Waller who was aided and abetted by James Blackwell with 34 as they reached 188 for 5 and a five wicket win. Steve Ludlam with 3 for 48 bowled well for Killamarsh but it was not to be their day and North Wheatley gained some very precious points.

For once Pilsley’s Saeed Bin Nasir doesn’t feature in these notes and that was probably why Eckington saw them off quite comfortably at Staveley Lane by seven wickets. Batting first Pilsley could only make 141 for 9 in their allotted overs with Dave Wright top scoring on 45 and veteran Wayne Dye bowling quite superbly to take 5 for 61.

This target proved no obstacle to Eckington as Rob Carlile (72) and Richard Bostock (62 n.o.) saw them to an easy win. Pilsley’s Ian Worthy was the best of their attack taking all three wickets to fall at a cost of 24 runs.

Notts. & Arnold Amateur 2 nd continued their good form by recording a six wicket win over Anston at Goosedale Lane . Batting first Anston rattled up a reasonable looking total of 189 for 5 with Kevin Vollans (58), Michael Norbury (47) and Andy Ruczenczyne an unbeaten 37 as the scoreboard kept moving along. Gary Woods was once again the best of the Notts. & Arnold attack taking 3 for 35 in a great spell of bowling.

Whilst this total looked useful, this assumption turned out not to be the case and David Harris (56) and David Hoos (54) moved Notts. & Arnold serenely to victory on 193 for 4 and keep them just sitting narrowly behind the top four.

Clay Cross Works’s problems however got simply worse after a losing draw against N.S.K. who have moved up the league in recent weeks. Matthew Smith (35) and Peter Litchfield (49) top scored as N.S.K. reached 147 for 7 in a shortened match owing to the weather.

Excellent bowling by Ian Bettney (4 for 53) and Martin Leatherday (3 for 61) put Clay Cross in with their best chance for weeks of a positive result but sadly they couldn’t manage even this. Ian Knowles with 35, was the only batsman to look like progressing against the brilliant line and length bowling of N.S.K. skipper Gary Lambert who helped himself to 6 for 41 as Clay Cross struggled to hold out on 127 for 9.

Clay Cross are now 41 points adrift of the third side from the foot of the table and their plight looks just about hopeless.