Long Eaton come crashing to earth
by SNCL Press Team, 13th June 2005

On a day when there were many surprise results, Division A leaders Long Eaton came crashing down to earth at Ellerslie who blasted a massive 345 for 6 to claim an emphatic winning draw. Richard Johnson (108) and Samrat Sharma (94) doing the damage. Second placed Calverton (186) also slipped up at Southwell (188/4) whilst third placed Attenborough could only manage a losing draw at home to Plumtree. Bottom side Gotham Village (155/6) finally got their first win of the season against Rolls-Royce (154) despite 77 from Leon Botha for Rolls.

Leaders Radcliffe-On-Trent (140/6) ensured there were no such surprises in Division B by defeating Clifton Village II (139) by 4 wickets. Mick Brooks (5/51) playing a key role. Bottesford kept up their good form and the pressure on the leaders with a four wicket win at lowly Belvoir (172). Elsewhere in B, 102 not out by Dave Green proved to be in vain for Bramcote (182/5); Loughborough Carillon (244/5) claiming a winning draw. Muzzafa Ali’s 6 for 39 instigated a welcome victory for Plumtree II over Newstead Abbey And Village, whilst Newark (171) won comfortably to leapfrog into third after dismissing Gedling & Sherwood for just 99.

There were more upsets in Division C as leaders and proud owners of a 100% record West Bridgfordians slumped to defeat in a tense finish at home to Keyworth. The visitors, with Jeff Tindsley (56) and Steve Rendu (43) starring, successfully chased the 178 target set by the hosts with 1 wicket and 7 balls to spare. There were also surprise defeats for second placed Thrumpton at Wilsons and previously third in the table Kirkby Portland who were soundly beaten by bottom placed Nottingham . Hucknall took full advantage to move up from fourth with victory over Thurgarton, who were bowled out for 155. Jamie Braybrook returned best figures of the season so far by taking a memorable 8 for 28 to rip through the Thurgarton batting. Nigel Lobb (73*) and Ben Lake (59*) guided Hucknall to a comprehensive nine wicket victory.

There was also a shock in Division D where leaders West Indian Caribs, who had previously won every game this season, went down to defeat at lowly Risley. Having set the Caribs 152 to win, Chris Gough with 6 for 31 helped Risley claim an unexpected 14 run victory.

The excitement in Division E came as Gedling Colliery II played host to Lady Bay Boots II. The visitors batted first and put on 188 in 36 overs, with 17 year old Alamgir Khan running out of partners and ending on 98*. The second highest score was 14. Gedling Colliery chased hard and needed three to tie and four to win of the last ball of the last over. The ball was hit to cover and only one was scored while the ball was returned to the wicketkeeper. The young wicketkeeper in the heat of moment tried to get the non-striker run out although there was no real need because Boots would have won by two runs. However he threw to the bowler who stopped the ball while the non-striker was well out of his ground. The bowler, another youngster new to league cricket, decided to throw the ball hard at the stumps and missed. The mid-on thinking that the game had already been won did not back up and Gedling got three when only half a run was really possible. Boots had no reason to try to run the batsman out when they had already won the match. Wymeswold (201) got their first win of the season as Collingham II (194/8) fell 8 short.

In F, Calverton II’s Peter Wright (91) and Chris Miller (110) put on a first wicket stand of 207 as opposition Whatton Aslockton (188) fell 77 runs short in the chase. Underwood remained top, however, setting 149/9 away at Eastwood Town II. C Smithurst’s 6/15 including a hat-trick ensured the home side fell short in reply. Despite Simon Ingram’s 89 for Toton Sycamore (151) the visitors finished well short away to Notts Unity Casuals II (178/6).

In G, Bottesford II defended their 165 total to the penultimate ball when Caythorpe III managed to get the ball to the boundary to win with 9 wickets down. Dan North ended on 39* having earlier taken 4/22 with the ball. Lowdham (214/4) and Ruddington (124/9) both remained without a win, being beaten this week by Bramcote II (215/2) and Epperstone (125/3) respectively.

There was another tied match in H as Thurgarton II came within 2 balls of beating East Leake . Batting first East Leake scored 154. Thurgarton lost 4 early wickets but then their young players nearly saw them home. James Murray scored 67 and 14 year old Ben Smith chipped in with 24. Alan Higson had earlier taken 5 of East Leake ’s wickets for 22 runs. Terry Bell’s figures of 5/16 were even more impressive as Rainworth Welfare (124) managed to bowl out Gotham Village II for just 75.

Hoveringham’s push towards a third successive promotion in Division J remains relentless. Nick (38) and Stuart Walton (82) made it a family affair in their 114 run victory over Risley II (132). Oxton (183/5) closed the gap between second and third with a close fought 16 run success over Kirkby Portland II (167). Michael Berry and Dave Cunnington both reached half centuries for the victors, whilst in reply Mark Zajac and Chris Berry took three wickets each as the home side fell short. It’s now three wins on the trot for Loughborough II (237/8) with Lorne Tracey (72) and Raj Matharu (55) the main contributors in their victory over Stanton by Dale II, for whom veteran Brian Taylor scored 85 out of the home side’s 152.

Newstead Abbey and Village II also kept in the family with Richard and Ian Greatorex scoring 86 and 37 respectively in the visitors’ comfortable victory over Carrington Cavaliers in Division K. The biggest surprise was Lenton Abbey’s defeat at home to Nottingham Victoria, the visitors successfully defending a total of 146/6. Sutton Bonington have crept up almost unnoticed into third. Gordon Fuller followed up last week’s unbeaten 75 with a tremendous innings of 167 at Woodborough, allowing the visitors to rack up an insurmountable 314/4. Lambley thought they had a reasonable chance of victory after posting 173 at home to Attenborough III. However a marvellous first wicket partnership between Martin Ashton (102*) and Chris Allcoat (65*) eased the visitors home. Congratulations go to South Muskham (190/6) who finally won at the sixth attempt against fellow strugglers Belvoir (185/9), James Hubbard (73) top scoring for the losing side.

After a surprising setback a fortnight ago, Bingham have climbed back to the top of L with two comfortable victories, the latest being against previous leaders Breaston. Pete Walton (61) top scored in the home side’s 230, whilst in reply the visitors fell 51 runs short, despite Steve Battle contributing his fourth innings over 60 so far. Stoke Bardolph take over as runners up with a thrashing of Shepshed III, Scott Pratt taking three wickets and following up with an unbeaten 53. It’s now two defeats in a row for West Bridgfordians II who crashed to 54 all out at Flintham as Len Jackson and John Gilbert took three wickets apiece. Belton swapped places with Kimberley III after a 16 run victory. The home side totalled 142 and in reply Belton’s Martin Radford had the impressive figures of 3 for 3 off 12 overs as Kimberley , despite young Steve Rainbow’s 49 fell short on 126.

Bowlers were in the ascendant in M, with Chris Legg taking 7/26 for Keyworth (143/8) as they beat struggling Willoughby on The Wolds (142/9). Pete Rowberry took 5/27 for Basford Hall Old Boys (105/6) in their defeat of Chilwell (102). Clifton Village III relied on batsmen and bowlers in their victory in N. First they racked up 281/5, thanks to the efforts of Glenn Fairhall (109), Jamie Dickinson (71*) and Luke Gunn (46), then they bowled Hucknall III out for 140, with Paul Hills taking 6/39. Beeston II (109/2) remained unbeaten in P after bowling bottom place Thrumpton III out for 106. In R, Toton Sycamore II (178) suffered their first defeat of the season as Nottingham III gained victory in the penultimate over.