Bassetlaw triumph in Cecil Rhoades Cup
by Paul Barker, 26th June 2005

After a long losing sequence in a competition which they used to win regularly the Bassetlaw Cricket League put it altogether to crush the Derbyshire and Cheshire League by nine wickets at Dove Holes Cricket Club on Sunday.

As usual there were numerous pull outs from the side selected but fortunately the balance of the team looked as good as it could be with the players available.

Batting first the Derbyshire and Cheshire League were quickly in serious trouble against the hostile pace attack of Edwinstowe’s Richard Gombos and Glapwell’s Matt. Hall.

They quickly collapsed to 45 for 6 and it was only two sterling knocks by Malcolm Strong (44) and Alan Hibbert (57 n.o.) which prevented a complete rout. As it was the final score of 164 for 7 represented quite a good effort after such a poor start, but the Bassetlaw side must have been quietly confident at the half way stage.

Richard Gombos (3 for 14) and Matt Hall (2 for 32) were the pick of the Bassetlaw attack but all the bowlers kept a tight and accurate length throughout.

This confidence was quickly borne out as they moved away to a great start with the Thoresby Colliery pairing of Martin Cheshire and Nigel Burkitt both playing positively and the scoreboard rattled along at a terrific rate.

Burkitt who had come in as an eleventh hour replacement was particular severe on anything loose and he cracked four towering sixes and also took 21 runs off one particular over on his way to an impressive unbeaten 60.

The hero of the hour however was the stylish left hander Cheshire who used all his vast array of strokes to good effect before being clean bowled for 99 with the scores level, a sad end to a really good innings. Paul Van den Heuvel of Marshalls scored the one run needed for victory to take the Bassetlaw League through to the next round where they will again be away to either the Derbyshire Premier League, The Durham Senior League or the Mansfield Sunday League.

At Dove Holes Cricket Club: DERBYSHIRE & CHESHIRE LEAGUE 164 for 7 (Alan Hibbert 57 n.o., Malcolm Strong 44, Richard Gombos 3 for 14) lost to the BASSETLAW AND DISTRICT LEAGUE 165 for 1 (Martyn Cheshire 99, Nigel Burkitt 60 n.o.) by nine wickets.