Even tighter at the top
by Paul Barker, 6th August 2006

Whilst Killamarsh were picking up a further twenty points in a hard fought encounter against Blidworth, leaders Farnsfield were involved in another run feast against Kiveton Park at Station Lane. The result of these two matches means that Farnsfield retain top spot but Killamarsh have reduced the gap to just a single point and the two teams meet each other at Sheffield Road next Saturday in what could be the decider where the championship trophy finally finds its resting place.

Once again the Station Lane wicket played true to form although Farnsfield got off to a wretched start losing two wickets (James Bennett and Rashid Riaz) with only six runs on the board. However from this moment on they certainly ‘went to town’, with Paul Franks blasting another superb century before finally going for 121 and Paul Delaney remaining unbeaten on 110 as the score rocketed at breakneck pace.

Delaney certainly had a day to celebrate as he arrived at an incredible milestone when his score reached 66. This meant that he had amassed in his career 10,000 runs in Bassetlaw Division 1 cricket which is certainly a tremendous achievement. Well done, Paul!

A thunderous cameo at the end by Phil Creswell (30 n.o.) saw Farnsfield close on 280 for 3, but even this kind of score isn’t enough to make anyone feel 100% safe on this wicket. Richard Spurr (2 for 45) was the pick of the Kiveton bowlers and his figures were just reward for a tidy stint.

Phil Cooper (45) and Richard Grainger moved Kiveton away to a great start, but the moment these two were dismissed they began to fall behind the clock and although wickets fell steadily to Neil Sharpe (2 for 62) and Phil Creswell (2 for 44) at no time did Farnsfield really look like bowling them out. Andy Marsh (38), Lee Brooks (33) and Ashley Rhodes (30 n.o.) all batted well as Kiveton closed on 231 for 7 to draw the match.

Once again the Farnsfield wicket was the winner and as we have said before on numerous occasions, if you don’t want to get out there is no earthly reason why you should, it is that good!

Killamarsh produced two belting strips last weekend but for their match against Blidworth it was a little unpredictable to say the least. Batting first, Blidworth were well served by Craig Turton (31) and Andy Norwood (29) as they crumbled to a dismal 140 all out. Sri Lankan ace Pramuka Liyanage (3 for 46) and Rodney Cook (4 for 26) were the chief destroyers and Killamarsh must have been feeling comfortable at the half way point.

Another two points worthy of mention was the bowling contribution of David Allen who took 1 for 18 after 15 miserly overs which nobody could get after, and four stumpings by wicket-keeper John Wooliscroft. Most wicket-keepers only manage four stumpings in a season so four in a single innings is a real achievement!

It didn’t prove as easy as they thought though as six wickets fell before they reached 141 and victory. Once again the superb Adam Burgess (35) with great support from Paul Burdett (42) held the innings together whilst Richard Smith (4 for 47) almost pulled Blidworth right back into the match.    

Bolsover gained a much needed win as they swamped Edwinstowe in the battle between the bottom two clubs by a massive 142 runs. Batting first Bolsover blasted an enormous 329 for 6 with Mark Bull (78), Steve Wooley (61) and Chris Cowley (86 n.o.) all enjoying the party as the Edwinstowe attack with the exception of Jon Garnham (3 for 73) was totally dominated.

Bull and Wooley score runs on a regular basis so this will come as no surprise, but Chris Cowley’s unbeaten 86 will be the innings which Bolsover will be most pleased about. He has always looked capable without going through with the effort and this confidence boosting knock may well have set him up for the season.

Once again only Jon Garnham (52 n.o.) with the bat propped up the Edwinstowe innings and had it not been for his all round effort Bolsover would have won much more easily. The way they are playing gives very little hope pf Edwinstowe avoiding the drop and they were bowled out for just 187 and they look totally devoid of confidence. Chris Pemberton (3 for 70) and Steve Wooley (2 for 17) showed the fire and spark that Edwinstowe lacked and on this kind of form, Bolsover could well survive and drag some other team into the equation who looked fairly safe a week or two ago.

Glapwell are really flying now and they totally crushed Marshalls at Park Avenue in a match which was over very quickly. From the moment they arrived at the crease the Marshalls innings represented a procession back to the pavilion as Matt Hall (3 for 8), Iain O’Brien (3 for 12) and Gary Saxby (2 for 21) sliced through some flimsy resistance to bowl them out for just 81.

Although four wickets fell, Glapwell never looked in any danger and Rob Davison (54) led them to 82 for 4 and victory. Gareth Andrews took two wickets but Marshalls were totally outplayed and outclassed and in this form Glapwell may yet finish in mid table.

Cuckney totally dominated their match against Notts. & Arnold Amateur winning by 108 runs and the Nottingham based side seem to have slipped off the boil in recent weeks. Batting first Cuckney made the huge score of 278 for 5 with Simon Shipp (66), Will Butler (96) and Richard Stroh (58) piling on the runs against an attack in which only Ryan Martin (3 for 59) impressed.

Despite good knocks by Peter Evans (51 n.o.), Leigh Baldry (48) and Bill Trewartha (46) the rest of the Notts & Arnold batting failed dismally as the wicket crumbled and Karl Musgrove (3 for 27) and Cliff Adwick (4 for 47) bowled them out for 171. Towards the end, the Notts. & Arnold team could not cope with the low and slow bounce which had them in mortal fear of a spate of broken ankles and the Cuckney attack took full advantage of this.

Worksop surprisingly saw off the challenge of Cutthorpe by 42 runs to give them a much needed twenty point win. Batting first Worksop reached 197 for 9 with Glenn Pym (40), Chris Taylor (45) and Mark Ambrose (35) all making major contributions. Nigel Kingham once again bowled a superb line and length to register his second consecutive five wicket haul taking 5 for 52 and Ali Jaffrey (3 for 9) was the other innings wrecker.

For once the Cutthorpe batting failed abysmally all apart from Nigel Kingham who certainly didn’t deserve to finish on the losing side as he made 52. His only support came from John Combe (40) as Cutthorpe slumped to 155 all out and defeat. All the Worksop bowlers chipped in with wickets and this win will certainly have given them some breathing space.

In Division 2, Ransome and Marles and Bridon are beginning to look increasingly likely to gain promotion after both of them picked up twenty points against Papplewick & Linby 2^nd and Eckington respectively. Bridon’s match was absolutely crucial as Eckington had been hanging on to the top two’s shirt tails but after the Ordsall’s side’s 35 run win, there is now a bit of breathing space between the top two and the third.

Bridon batted first and fine knocks by Roger Wells (38), Wayne Spooner (50) and Rob McLeod (36) saw them reach a competent 204 all out. Luke Dawson (3 for 48) and the superb left arm slow bowler Wayne Dye (6 for 57) were the wicket-takers for Eckington who must have thought they were in with a chance at the half way stage.

It was not to be however as Wayne Spooner carried on his great run of form of late to take 5 for 33 and bowling in tandem with Simon Davison (3 for 24) Bridon dismissed Eckington for just 169 to claim a vital win. Jason Garrick (33) top scored for Eckington who can usually be relied on for more runs than this, which tells everyone how well Bridon bowled.

Papplewick & Linby 2^nd simply had no answer to Ransome and Marles and were crushed by eight wickets. Batting first Papplewick were all out for 129 with only Steve Thomas (51) and Nagasair Sookram (29) showing any form of resistance against Gary Lambert (4 for 64) and Paul Taylor (5 for 30).

This target was never going to bother Ransomes and once Francois Le Clus (64 n.o.) and Tony Betteridge (30) started moving the result was a mere formality as they closed out on 132 for 2 and another twenty point win.

Another boost for the leading pair came when the news filtered through that Whitwell had been totally destroyed by relegation threatened North Wheatley with Leverton by eight wickets at The Rookery. Batting first Whitwell were once again well served by Alan Draycott (46) and Australian Heath Bush who made a tremendous 76. David Horner (4 for 42) and Richard Robinson (4 for 46) both bowled exceptionally well for North Wheatley as Whitwell were dismissed for 209.

This target looked like it might have given North Wheatley a real mountain to climb especially considering the fact that they have hardly managed a score above the 200 mark all season, but this was the day they got it right. There has never been much doubt that Wayne Harrison is a quality player but on many occasions he has got out when looking well set, but things were totally different here as he showed all his strokes and skill to make a magnificent unbeaten 117.

Aided and abetted by Jon Loates (50 n.o.), North Wheatley coasted to victory on 211 for 2 and on the evidence of this performance it is the mystery of the season that they have performed so badly up until this point. Whitwell will be moaning the fact that it had to be them when North Wheatley finally showed their true form.

Notts. & Arnold Amateur 2^nd must be hoping the end of the season comes quickly after they suffered another setback at The Fieldings against Mansfield Hosiery Mills 2^nd. However there were two incredible spells of bowling, one from each side to report and Hosiery Mills must be very grateful to Rob Ward (67) and Darren Johnson (61) who scored 128 of the 220 runs their side scored.

The reason for this was Harry Bhakkar who bowled quite magnificently to take 8 for 42, but incredibly enough it was all completely in vain. The Notts. & Arnold innings never got really started and they were bowled out for just 115 with the reason for this being a fantastic spell of bowling by the Hosiery Mills skipper Darren Brittlebank who took an incredible eight for 19 to even eclipse the earlier brilliance of Bhakkar.

A strange game took place at Chesterfield Road between Mansfield & Pleasley and Everton which resulted in a winning draw for the former. Batting first Mansfield & Pleasley made a relatively modest 173 for 5 with both Ian Woodall (60) and Anthony Timpson (60) playing the starring roles.

The Everton reply was totally dominated by the brilliant Jon Mimms who made an unbeaten 103 out of 145 for 5. The only mystifying thing about this is that Everton didn’t go on to win the match. Mimms is a free flowing aggressive players with a huge range of shots around the wicket and the only reason for not pressing on for victory suggests that he was sceptical that had he got out the rest of the innings might have folded. Anthony Timpson (3 for 26) was the best of the Mansfield & Pleasley attack but it makes one wonder if a bit more pressure exerted might have seen Everton home to victory.

When you are struggling it is a well known fact that nothing goes right. Farnsfield 2^nd seemed to have thrown themselves a lifeline in the match at Anston, but eventually they ended up losing a match they looked like winning for much of the game.

The Farnsfield total of 145 all out looked rather small on this ground where big totals are usually the order of the day, and only Dave Tilbury (36) and Mark Hallam (38) really got to grips with the situation. Andrew Ruczenczyn (3 for 38) and Andy Crowle (3 for 32) were the pick of the Anston attack and at the half way point, an Anston win looked inevitable.

However when Farnsfield had reduced Anston to 69 for 6 a much different picture began to emerge. It was then that a magnificent unbroken partnership of 78 by Ian Barley (51 n.o.) and Steve Maddock (33 n.o.) turned things back on their heads as Anston pulled off a tremendous four wicket win. Mark Hallam (2 for 40), Pete Wood (2 for 29) and Chris Dunne (2 for 21) had all bowled well for Farnsfield but they could not separate Barley and Maddock who guided Anston to a terrific win.