Mansfield League team spirit disposes of Bassetlaw
by Michael Layton, 1st August 2005

Mansfield and District Cricket League continued their great run in the national cup competition with a win against local rivals the Bassetlaw League. This follows up from the win in the previous round at Gateshead against the Durham Senior County League. Both victims have won the trophy four times since the competition started in 1969. It was a tremendous team effort for a young side, the average is around 20, and Mansfield now takes on Derbyshire County League in the semi-finals.

The Bassetlaw Captain Glyn Pym won the toss and asked the Mansfield skipper Darren Walker to bat first. Mansfield lost opener Adam Burgess caught behind to an away swinging delivery from Andy Stevenson in his second over. Then a solid partnership of fifty between Will Butler (47) and seventeen year old Tom Bullimore (18) made the platform for the innings. Their running between the wickets was exceptional keeping the opposition thinking all the time.

The experienced Percy Hirst (10-1-47-2) bowled tightly and in the 19th over of the match he bowled Bullimore. The same bowler had Will Butler stumped as the batsmen came down the wicket looking to move the run rate on. In came Steve Dakin (31) to partner Chris Briggs (58) the partnership putting on an excellent 72 in 12 overs.

Opening bowler Stephenson (10-1-42-1) came back into the attack and quickly had Dakin caught by Hirst. However the run rate shot up with Dave Willcock (29) and Chris Briggs making a blistering partnership of 51 in 5 overs. With a total of 240 a possibility the Bassetlaw came back strongly with four wickets from Steve Bentley (7.1-0-46-4) and two from Pym (2-0-9-2). The Mansfield innings closed on a competitive 219 in the 44th over.

The Bassetlaw in form openers Nigel Birkett and Martin Cheshire were kept at bay with very accurate bowling from Nick Hand (10-2-21-2) and eighteen year old off spinner Jonathan Ball (10-4-21-0). The Bassetlaw chase was given a huge set back when Hand removed Burkitt caught behind by Dave Hunt in the 7th over and then Cheshire (21) was caught sharply by Tom Bullimore at square leg.

The entire home side batsmen struggled for runs and only when Stuart Robson (30) and Steve Bentley (23) put on 55 in 8 overs did they look capable of reaching the target. However their quest was over when Chris Briggs (3-0-10-2) removed them both in quick succession. Mansfield ran out clear winners by 54 runs and the man of the match award went to Sherwood’s Will Butler who had a superb match scoring 47 runs and following up with bowling figures of 9-0-29-1. The League President Dennis Cooke, who kindly agreed to sponsor the award, presented the trophy to him.

Result: Mansfield & District Cricket League beat the Bassetlaw & District League by 54 runs.

Read the match report from the Bassetlaw League