Cuckney still top despite defeat
by Paul Barker, 3rd July 2005

If ever there seems to have been a case of musical chairs it certainly would appear to be at the summit of Division 1 in the Bassetlaw League. Not just the occasional week but every week we seem to have a new leader in the table. However this week was different although in heavens name it is difficult to fathom out how it happened.

Leaders, Cuckney lost to Cutthorpe, second placed Glapwell lost to Farnsfield and third placed Edwinstowe lost to Kiveton Park . Only Thoresby Colliery the fourth placed team managed a victory and this managed to close the gap that had opened between them and the rest last week when they went down to Glapwell.

Don’t rule out Kiveton Park who made desperately hard work of beating Edwinstowe on a wicket that helped the bowlers all afternoon, or for that matter the sinister threat of Farnsfield if they can put a run together and Cutthorpe who do look capable of beating everyone and are arguably the most difficult side to beat in the section.

It all adds up to excitement all the way. The other five sides you can forget about, they are playing for the two relegation places and that scrap will go right to the wire as well.

Cuckney had put together a fine run of results until they met Cutthorpe at Langwith Road on Saturday and batting first they didn’t fare too badly either making 222 for 6 in their fifty overs. Simon Shipp (66), Daniel Brown (51) and Richard Stroh (59 n.o.) who has proved to be a major asset since arriving from South Africa all batted supremely well whilst the ever dangerous Asadullah Butt was once again Cutthorpe’s best bowler claiming 3 for 78.

This target although looking respectable proved to be no problem to Cutthorpe who arrived at 224 for 5 to claim a five wicket win. The Cutthorpe batting when it is firing on all cylinders is as good as you will see anywhere in the league and Andy Thompson was right in his premier form making a superb 86 to set his side on the way. Tim Barlow weighed in with 73 and although Richard Stroh once again made his presence felt with 3 for 52, there was no holding Cutthorpe who sailed to an impressive win which moved them menacingly up the table.

At Forest Corner Edwinstowe were moving along sublimely until David Hallam was injured and had to retire hurt. From that moment wickets fell at regular intervals amazingly all at one end and several of them uncannily on the fifth ball of an over! All the Kiveton attack bowled well as Edwinstowe struggled to 145 for 8 when the overs ran out with only Paul Benson (31) making any impact at all.

Kyle McKeeman (3 for 22) and Australian Peter Coleborne who bagged a brace bowled superbly but it was Ashley Rhodes (3 for 29) who did the telling damage as he removed the overseas duo of Asif Zakir and Garth Brown at minimal cost.

Coleborne and in particular Phil Cooper set off as though they were going to knock off this meagre target in double quick time but after making a brilliantly crafted 38, Cooper fell to an easy catch as he miscued to cover and was caught by Richard Gombos.

Skipper Rob Coxon (34) steadied the ship and despite losing Coleborne to a ridiculous run out which left the Australian about six yards adrift as the bails were removed, they moved the score along steadily towards the winning post.

The return of Richard Gombos slowed the scoring rate right down to a crawl, but the target set was not enough and Matt Cartwright showed a maturity far beyond his years as he steered his side home with an excellent unbeaten 32 as they reached 146 for 5, winning by five wickets with eight overs to spare

Worksop look as though they might have turned the corner as they registered their second win in the last three matches (the other one was rained off) against a well out gunned Bridon side at Ordsall. Batting first, Worksop made 198 for 8 with skipper Steve Bentley (55) and their new recruit the Indian star Ramesh Sanjay (45) both batting brilliantly. Bridon’s ‘Australian Express’ Justin Miller took 4 for 49 in a hostile spell which gave his side the chance of much needed win.

This was not to be however as Worksop bundled them out for just 77 with Matt Makings (22) topping the scoring in a rather poor display of batting. Ramesh Sanjay thoroughly enjoyed his first match for Worksop and took 4 for 14 in a good spell of bowling and John Smith had the incredible figures of 4 for 3 as Worksop plundered an impressive victory which can only add to their growing confidence.

A few weeks ago, Worksop looked ‘dead and buried’ but they are now turning things around and they certainly look to have a terrific acquisition in Ramesh Sanjay on the evidence of this match. There now looks cause for hope when it all appeared to be gone a month ago.

A match that had just about everything took place at Park Avenue, Glapwell and saw the home side lose their winning sequence against the infuriatingly inconsistent Farnsfield in a real high scoring thriller. Batting first, Glapwell showed how much their batting has improved with Lee Topham (31), Matt Hall (36), Phil Matthews (36) and wicket-keeper Shaun Johnson (35) all chipping in as they made an impressive 202 for 9. Kiwi Mark Silcock stuck to his task well and had the deserved haul of 5 for 82 after a long and hard stint of bowling.

For once however, Farnsfield batted how everyone knows they can and reached 204 for 5 with ten balls remaining. James Bennett (30) and Paul Franks (52) were the main run getters but Paul Delaney and Glyn and Andy Edwards all contributed before Phil Creswell and Elliot Hind finished the job off to give Farnsfield a maximum points haul.

Thoresby Colliery moved back into second place with a two wicket win over Notts. & Arnold Amateur with only seven balls remaining. Batting first Notts. & Arnold made 174 all out with David Evans (32) and Danny Nicholls (33) top scoring. Bill Lippeatt with 5 for 54 continued his staggering form and he is certainly enjoying one of the best season’s of his career.

Not that Thoresby found this target easy and it was just as well that skipper Martin Cheshire (39) led from the front and coaxed his team to a desperately narrow win. Australian Leigh Baldry (3 for 40) was the best of the Notts. & Arnold attack and whilst Thoresby are looking good at the right end of the table, the Nottingham side’s position must be a cause for worry as they slip nearer the bottom each week.

It had took the Gainsborough side, Marshalls Sports a while to settle in after being promoted last season but last week’s win at Kiveton Park suggested that they were now beginning to get things together. This theory only lasted a week however as Killamarsh another side struggling at the foot of the table produced their best form of the season to beat them by seven wickets at Middlefield Lane .

Batting first Marshalls were bowled out for just 98 and had it not been for Paul Van den Heuvel (35) things would have been a whole lot worse. Steve Ludlam (5 for 38) and South African Hennie Basson (5 for 42) did the damage, as Killamarsh scented an important victory and took their chance.

This target proved nowhere near enough to defend and Rodney Cook (43 n.o.) steered Killamarsh to a comfortable seven wicket win which will do wonders for their confidence and morale. Whilst the top is tight and congested it seems the bottom is just the same with five teams, Bridon, Killamarsh, Marshalls, Notts. & Arnold Amateur and Worksop all battling to stay above those two dreaded places which will see them relegated to Division 2 at the end of the season.

Bolsover continue to plough a lonely furrow towards the Division 2 title and they claimed another 20 points by crushing Whitwell by 130 runs at Villas Road . Skipper Charlie Walker admitted to being a little perturbed that his side’s start was rather too slow and it is a fact that after twenty overs only fifty runs were on the board. This changed dramatically however as Mark Bull (97), Usman Saeed (84) and Steve Wooley (52) totally dominated the Whitwell attack for the rest of the innings as the score galloped along to 260 for 5 as the overs ran out.

This was always going to be far too many for Whitwell who were dismissed for just 130. Richard Ashley (46) made some impact but once again Usman Saeed with 5 for 30 showed what a talent he is as Bolsover recorded an easy 130 run victory. It is still early but one cannot see anyone getting in the way of this Bolsover side who quite frankly look different class. Their only setback so far was a losing draw at Anston in their first match and on this evidence one cannot see even that happening again this campaign.

Blidworth the other relegated side continue in second place after a 32 run win over Farnsfield 2 nd which leaves their opponents too close for comfort at the bottom of the table. Batting first Blidworth made 196 for 8 principally thanks to a splendid unbeaten 85 by Andy Watson. Fine support came from Matt. Slade (33) and Dave Willcock (31) whilst 15 year-old Jamie Wagstaff was the best of the Farnsfield attack taking 2 for 29 in a good and very tidy spell.

Although Gary Peck made a typically belligerent 80 and Dave Tilbury (32), Farnsfield were never really going to trouble this Blidworth total and they were eventually bowled out for just 164. Richard Smith (5 for 52) and Dave Wood (4 for 34) did the damage to keep Blidworth right up there with a chance of returning back to the top Division next season.

Anston will not let anybody get away from them though and they managed the highest score in the top two sections with a massive 296 for 7 against Pilsley at Ryton Road . As usual, Anston were brilliantly served by their strong batting line-up and Dean Brearley (46), Michael Norbury (81) Nigel Staniland (44) and Neil Carter (58) all batting well and they took a tremendous toll on the Pilsley attack which weakened dramatically when the pressure was on them in the last ten overs. Michael Thompson (4 for 85) did bowl extremely well however but skipper Steve Drury was far from happy how the match got away from his side in the last few overs.

As we have quoted before on numerous occasions, Pilsley are capable of knocking off even the biggest of scores especially when Saeed Bin Nasir is flowing and once again he showed his outstanding ability with a blistering 91 before being bowled by Jim Glazier who he had despatched for a huge six off the previous ball.

Ian Worthy (31) and Richard Lee (31) both batted well also but this target was too much and Pilsley closed on 199 for 8, a commendable effort considering how many runs were needed.

The Staveley Lane ground at Eckington must certainly rank as one of the best wickets in the division and once again a fantastic 469 runs were scored for the loss of just ten wickets in their match against North Wheatley with Leverton. All credit must go to groundsman Chris Drury who lavishes countless hours of work on the ground to make it what it is and he certainly does a great job.

Batting first Eckington made a huge 262 for 6 with Andy Burton (77), Luke Dawson (64), Tom Dawson (47) and Rob Carlile (44) all making major contributions. Not that North Wheatley were prepared to take this lying down and although they never looked like acquiring the required rate of scoring they did a fine job to reach 207 for 4 with Will Saville (55), Wayne Harrison (43) and Dave Waller (31) all batting excellently.

This was another superb match at this ground and it shows what can be done to a ground if you have someone as dedicated as Chris Drury is here.

At the start of the season we tipped Ransome and Marles to be not far away when the honours were dished out at the end of the campaign, but after a terrible run of results they were nearer the relegation zone than the top as we had suggested.

Over the last two weeks they have suddenly started showing the form which we knew they were capable of and in their match against Papplewick & Linby 2 nd they looked very good as they registered a four wicket win at Papplewick Hall.

Only Matt Alford with 46 showed any application as Ransome’s Australian bowler Brett Richardson produced his best form of the season taking 7 for 61 in a breathtaking spell. Papplewick were finally bowled out for 149 which meant they would have to defend very well to protect this score.

Despite a spirited attempt they were unable to do so and Ransomes reached 150 for 6 and victory and another move in the right way from the basement area. Nigel Murray (54) and skipper Gary Lambert (48) were the principle run getters for Ransomes but spare a thought for young Ian Hardy who did his best to turn the match around in Papplewick’s favour, taking 3 for 35 in a fine spell of bowling.

The two sides occupying the bottom two positions Everton and Notts. & Arnold Amateur 2 nd met at Goosedale Sports Club and it was the former who came away on the happier note with a winning draw after a low scoring encounter.

Everton didn’t exactly cover themselves with glory as they managed only 138 for 7 with the talented youngster John Mimms top scoring on 51. Martin Bolus (4 for 49) was the best of the Notts. & Arnold bowlers, and this score looked reasonable enough to give the Nottingham side cause for optimism.

It was not to be however and they slumped badly to 135 for 9 as the overs ran out and Everton picked up 15 most vital points. The situation for the Notts & Arnold side is fast approaching the desperation stage but Everton are battling through and might well save themselves if things go their way. They are a gutsy side who will not give up until the last ball is bowled, and that is why they have a chance of survival.