Long Eaton take commanding lead at half way
by SNCL Press Team, 5th July 2005

Long Eaton saw off nearest rivals Eastwood Town to hold a commanding lead at the half way point of Division A of the Gunn & Moore South Notts Cricket League. Yes, the season is half over already, and Long Eaton stretched their advantage at the top with their 7 th win in 8 games by successfully chasing down Eastwood’s total of 210 for 8 with 3 wickets and five balls to spare.

Earlier Ijaz Ahmed had scored 101 for the hosts and Usman Khan’s 5 for 72 also for Eastwood turned the heat on the leaders but another great team performance saw Long Eaton home in a tense finish. Calverton move back up to 2 nd after a 37 run win at Rolls-Royce Leisure, whilst 101 by 4 th placed Attenborough’s Brad Bernie helped see off Southwell.

It looks like a two horse race at the half way point in Division B as Bottesford secured a winning draw at third-placed Loughborough Carillon and the other leading side, Radcliffe-On-Trent, won impressively by nine wickets at Newark (104). Elsewhere a century by Dave McDermott enabled Clifton Village II to comfortably chase down Plumtree II’s total of 218 for 9.

West Bridgfordians continue to pull away from the pack in Division C after thumping former leaders Thrumpton by 131 runs. Jon Sheard with 78 and many other valuable contributions help set the visitors 224 to win but Thrumpton were skittled out for just 92 with Sam Wynch 3 for 14 West Bridgfordians top bowler.

West Indian Caribs secured another full 20 point win, away at Lady Bay Boots, in D. Caribs set 212 with James Chulan (55) and Zufiqar Ali (40) top scoring. Daryl Samuels then took 5 for 50 as Lady Bay Boots were bowled out for 153. Nuthall sank further in E as Hucknall II bowled them out for 56; however they staged something of a fight back by taking 8 of Hucknall’s wickets before they reached the target. Hucknall now top the table.

Willoughby on the Wolds (207/8) remain fifth despite beating 3 rd place Stanton Awsworth Elks (161/7). Ben Boot put in an all round performance of 43 and 3/27 for Willoughby, while team mates Mark Lindley and Matt Hall scored 53 and 47 respectively. Star performers for the Elks were Darren Shaw (62*), Andy Barnes (51*) and Mark Bostock (4/30).

Toton Sycamore sank to the bottom of Division F after losing at home to former bottom team Gedling & Sherwood II. Simon Ingram contributed 53 to Toton’s score of 168/9 as Mike Phillips dismissed 6 of the batsmen for 41. Gedling’s batsmen got off to a slow start as Pat O’Neill took 4 for 30 but then Stephen Carmody hit 62. Gedling got the winning runs off the penultimate ball with only one wicket left. Eastwood Town II (137) moved up to mid table as M Smith dismissed 6 of Notts Unity Casuals II’s batsmen for just 10 runs. Casuals finished on 95/9.

Bramcote II’s Mel Wood was the star of Division G, scoring 103 of the 203 needed to beat Snibston Grange. In H, Nottingham II (159/4) got their second win of the season as Ady Knowles (54*) and James Bridon (41) helped them past Cotgrave’s total of 157.

After their blip last week, Hoveringham soon returned to form in Division J with a comfortable eight wicket victory over Stanton By Dale (161/6), Pete Wood and Stuart Walton both notching half centuries. The day got better for the leaders with the news of defeat for closest rivals, Oxton, in a low scoring encounter with fast improving Gladstone who would now consider themselves promotion hopefuls. Gladstone squeezed past the home side’s paltry 53 with only two wickets remaining despite the efforts of the consistent Mike Berry and ex Kimberley man Mark Zajac who took four wickets apiece.

Earlier Neil Baines (6/29) had shone for the visitors with the ball. Kirkby Portland II (246/5) change places with Oxton after a 141 run success over Newark II, Micky Barratt again in the runs, this time with an unbeaten 106. In reply Jim Severn and Johnathan Williams grabbed three wickets each.

Stapleford consolidated their mid table position with a six wicket success at home to eight man Caunton (67 all out). Loughborough Carillion also showed bouncebackability with a hard fought three wicket victory at Risley II (145) this despite the efforts of Matt Shaw (4/40).

It’s a case of as you were in the top three in Division K. For the first time this season Newstead II were made to work hard for their success at home to lowly Belvoir. However despite John Gulson’s battling 40 the visitors fell 19 runs short of the 200 target. Sutton Bonington (176/7) remain second following an 18 run success at home to mid table Nottingham Victoria, whilst James Trafford (69 and 4/20) turned in a superb all round performance in Lenton Abbey’s 74 run victory at Woodborough (90) who earlier had Paul Wilson taking 5 for 20.

No change at the top in Division L either with the top three all winning. Bingham (201) proved too strong for Kimberley III despite a captain’s performance from Steve Tilley (52 and 3/ 44). Stoke Bardolph remain close by though, Adam Neason striking a brilliant unbeaten 115 supported by Colin Johnson (57) in their easy victory over Belton (135). It was a day to remember also for Breaston’s Dave Arden whose figures of 6/19 over Shepshed III (39 all out) included a hat trick, Malcolm Astle grabbed the remaining four wickets to fall. Finally Thrumpton II climb a place to fifth as Mark Payne took 5 for 27 to ensure a solid 62 run success over West Bridgfordians .

In M, Willoughby on the Wolds II (195/7) managed victory off the last ball against Underwood II, whose batsman Jamie Grainger had earlier finished on 105 not out. Another centurion in the same division was Basford Hall Old Boys’ Adrian Cooper (101*). His side set 225/4 then dismissed Newstead Abbey & Village III for 96. Scott Law took 6 for 2 for Stanton & Awsworth Elks II (170/9) to help skittle out Keyworth for 51.

There was a tie in Division N as Plumtree III and Farndon II both scored 144/9. Each side also had a bowler taking a fivefer; Keith Sheriston 5/20 for Plumtree and Martin Tuftin 5/16 for Farndon. In P, Thrumpton III remained without a win all season despite Ray Smithson’s contribution of 64. Cotgrave dismissed them for 141, thanks to Richard Johnson (4/18) and Ian Lynn (4/36). Ian Lynn then turned hero with the bat, making 68 as Cotgrave passed the total with only 3 wickets down. In R, East Leake II’s Sam Marshall virtually did a one-man demolition job on Shepshed Town IV (56), taking the day’s best bowling figures of 8/18.