Good Evans sets Notts & Arnold on fire
by Paul Barker, 20th May 2007

There certainly have been some players who have made dramatic entries into the Bassetlaw League over the years but if ever anyone has made such an impact as Notts. & Arnold Amateur’s Australian star Tom Elliot I would like to hear about it!

Elliot burst onto the scene on Saturday 5^th May when he caned Ransome & Marles for an unbeaten 189 (a new League record) and followed that up with 104 not out against Glapwell last week. Still not satisfied he battered Worksop for another 153 although they can point with some degree of success that they actually got him out. So at the current moment he is averaging 446.00, which is quite a return.

He simply can’t stop scoring runs! Pilsley’s Saeed Bin Nasir used to score runs for fun in Division 2, but wait a minute, this guy is scoring them in Division 1 and without wishing to be ungenerous there is a whole world of difference between the two standards. If Elliot keeps this up it will be interesting to see how many runs he will finish up with. Of course it could all go pear-shaped, but somehow I don’t think it will. As Bing Crosby once sung ‘You’ve either got or you haven’t got style’ and Tom Elliot has certainly got that and a load of class as well.

Back to the match and in addition to Elliot, Joe Pallister who is maturing really well helped to cement the Notts. & Arnold score with a fine 59 runs as they finished on a gigantic 280 for 6. John Smith once again bowled beautifully for Worksop taking 4 for 45 which are good figures when one considers the mauling the rest of the attack had taken.

In reply Worksop were all out for just 94 with only youngster Bryn Smith (37) doing very much at all with the bat. Scott Leivers bowled brilliantly to take 5 for 30, as did young off-spinner Ryan Martin who chipped in with 3 for 17 as Notts. & Arnold cruised to a comfortable 186 run win.

Kiveton Park joined Cuckney back at the top of the table with a comprehensive 94 run win over struggling Glapwell. Batting first Kiveton were well served by Tom Neeley (37) and their Sri-Lankan star Harsha Cooray (75) as they reached 209 all out. Cooray has proved to be a massive influence with both bat and ball in the early part of the season and Kiveton can feel well pleased with their signing. Chris Barrett bowled really well for Glapwell to take 6 for 57 with his excellent seam-up approach.

In reply it was simply ‘no contest’, as Glapwell just folded to 115 all out. Only 15-year-old Daniel Bircumshaw (48) showed any application at all as Richard Spurr (3 for 23) and Ashley Rhodes (4 for 19) simply sliced through them without the slightest of trouble.

Glapwell’s batting is now giving great cause for concern. Unless they get things right they could easily become enveloped in a relegation dogfight. At Kiveton they had not done a bad job in the field, but once they started to bat all the frailties showed through. By comparison the home side must be delighted with the way the season has started for them.

Cuckney managed a winning draw in a hard fought encounter with Cutthorpe with the result never certain until near the end. Batting first Cuckney reached 218 for 7 with Kunil Jogea (62), Richard Stroh whose batting technique has improved beyond all recognition (64 n.o.) and Steve Bentley (55). Farhan Ayub, Cutthorpe’s new Pakistani ‘Express’ took 3 for 73 in a good spell and is getting close to top form now. The Cuckney viewpoint was that he will be a threat to everyone, once he has settled.

In reply Nigel Kingham (32) and the hard-hitting Rob Plested (35) helped Cutthorpe to 167 for 7 whilst amazingly Steve Randall took another three wickets this time for 37 runs. Randall has taken three wickets in every league match this season and Cuckney must be hoping that this trend will continue.

Another guy who makes this great game of cricket a joy to be involved with is the incredible Rashid Riaz of Farnsfield. This guy has a permanent smile on his face and he is so incredibly and deservedly popular around the circuit. Out of a Farnsfield total of 216 for 6 at Middlefield Lane, Riaz slammed an overwhelming 117 n.o. and totally dominated the innings. A Marshalls spokesman told me ‘he was different class, it was a chanceless innings on a wicket that was low and slow and did nothing to help the batsmen’. I don’t think anymore needs to be said on the subject.

In reply Marshalls were hanging on at 147 for 8 with Mark Davies on an unbeaten and very valuable 34. Mark Silcock (4 for 38) was the pick of the Farnsfield attack but they couldn’t dislodge the last few wickets and had to settle for a winning draw.

Runs, runs and more runs was the order of the day at Bolsover as the home side and Ransome & Marles smashed a massive run aggregate of 486 runs between them and only ten wickets were lost in the process. Bolsover batted first and made a massive 272 for 5 with skipper Mark Bull making 61 and Andy Rogers a magnificent 143. Rogers has been in brilliant form all season and the century was bound to come sooner rather than later. Ransomes will feel a little unfortunate that it had to be against them. Through all this carnage Gary Lambert the Ransome skipper did exceedingly well to take 3 for 47.

In reply Ransomes found that they could score runs just as easily and their South African recruit Henno Jordaan played another fine innings making 71. Great support came from Nigel Murray (44) and Peter Litchfield (40 n.o.) as Ransomes closed on a respectable 214 for 5. Steve Wooley bowled superbly for Bolsover taking 3 for 29, but the wicket was the winner and if you didn’t want to get out there was no reason on earth why you should.

Thoresby Colliery managed a six-wicket win against Bridon in a tremendous match at Fourth Avenue. Batting first, Bridon didn’t do a bad job particularly Richard Topham who made 80 whilst Stuart Parkin (32) and Andy Legg (31) also added vital runs. The final total of 210 for 9 represented a decent effort and it was only good work by Billy Lippeatt (4 for 47) and Shailesh Patel (3 for 45) that kept things to a respectable level.

However if there is one thing that the Thoresby side do well it is bat. Even in last season’s dismal Nottinghamshire Premier League showing they hardly ever failed to score runs, but it was never enough. This showed what a powerful line-up they have and Martin Cheshire (60) and Nigel Burkitt (40) blazed them away with a century opening stand. After that their Kiwi star Chris Spring took command and was on 61 n.o. when the winning runs were scored at 213 for 4.

Thoresby have adjusted well on their return to the Bassetlaw and few sides have the strength in batting which they have. If Bridon possessed a quick potent bowler there is little doubt that they would be nearer the top than the bottom. As it is they are scoring plenty of runs and getting beat. Only once has their batting failed this season and they can mix it with the best.

The top two teams in Division 2 had varying fortunes with Eckington leapfrogging Edwinstowe to climb to the head of the table. Eckington’s match with Blidworth was short, sweet and extremely ruthless from a Blidworth point of view with the home side being completely wrecked and bowled out for just 69 by a rampant Eckington attack in which Simon West (5 for 20) and South African Ian O’Neill bagged 3 for 14.

This target proved only a token gesture as O’Neill showed what he could do with the bat as well blasting an unbeaten 47 as Eckington waltzed to victory by 5.30 p.m. in terrific style. On the evidence of this match, Blidworth were simply no match for Eckington who have flittered around the top for several years now. This looks as though it could be the season for them and the way they are playing it will take an incredibly good side to beat them.

Edwinstowe who were top were beaten at Anston by the home side and it was almost as comprehensive as Eckington’s annihilation of Blidworth. Once Jim Glazier had held a good return catch to get rid of Dean Elgar for a ‘duck’ the writing was on the wall and Anston went through the rest with ridiculous ease. Had it not been for Ian Smith (39) and skipper Nigel Jackson (19) one wonders what a sorry mess Edwinstowe would have been in.

As it was they were simply routed for just 84 runs, with Andrew Ruczenczyn (6 for 30) and Jim Glazier (3 for 29) simply slicing through the Edwinstowe batting like a knife through butter. 

In reply Anston had hardly any problems racing to 86 for 4 and a six wicket win with consummate ease. It is too early to tell but one has been wondering all season what would happen if Elgar failed and if this is the answer, Edwinstowe will not want it to happen too regularly. 

A team who have glided through the leagues over the last few seasons is Waleswood and they are certainly making an impact at this level already and have cruised into second poition. They were much too good for Papplewick and Linby 2^nd at Mansfield Road and this result will send shockwaves through the rest of the teams in this section, because Papplewick up until this match had looked to be a more than solid combination.

Batting first Waleswood made what looked to be a rather modest 154 for 8 with Martin Long batting doggedly to reach an extremely valuable 57. Ed Somekh with 3 for 11 was the best of the Papplewick attack and they must have thought that they had performed this part of the job excellently.

It was however all in vain as Waleswood blasted through some rather tepid resistance to bowl Papplewick out for just 62. Shaun Grice with 5 for 16 was the destroyer-in-chief and he and his colleagues never let the Papplewick batsmen settle as they clocked up another mightily impressive win.

Caythorpe 2^nd the other promoted side are also moving in the right direction and they claimed a winning draw against a spirited Whitwell side in their home fixture. As it generally is, the Caythorpe wicket was in fine ‘fettle’ and the home side rattled up a mammoth 248 for 3 in their 46 overs against a wilting Whitwell attack. Paul Riley (117 n.o.) was quite magnificent with his shot selection and deserved his century and excellent support came from Paul Reddington (50) and Richard Beaumont (50 n.o.) as Caythorpe piled up the runs.

Whitwell to their credit gave it a go and whilst Alan Draycott was at the crease they were not without a chance. Draycott made a fine 62 and with his dismissal went Whitwell’s hopes of pulling an unlikely result out of the bag and they closed on 181 for 8, which was a commendable effort in a fine match.

Another fantastic innings by Jon Mimms was not enough to save Everton from defeat by Mansfield Hosiery Mills 2^nd at The Fieldings. Mimms has an unbelievable appetite for runs and out of a rather paltry 146 for 9 which his side made; he managed 79, which was in the circumstances another brilliant effort. Two extremely young players were the toast for the Hosiery Mills with Adam Dobb (5 for 34) and James Fraser (3 for 30) both showing what a bright future is in front of them if they keep up this progress.

Hosiery Mills easily knocked off the required runs with Rob Ward (35) and Craig Brittlebank (36 n.o.) playing the starring roles. This was a comprehensive victory for the Hosiery Mills who are looking like a side who are capable of springing a surprise against the best in this section.

Mansfield & Pleasley came back to some sort of form after a difficult period with a resounding 63 runs against the inconsistent North Wheatley with Leverton side. Batting first Mansfield & Pleasley made a reasonable total of 201 for 7 with Jamie Jevons (70) and Matt Page (44) both batting well.

In reply North Wheatley who have this season beaten Eckington (which is no mean feat) might have been expected to do rather better than there 138 all out total. Jonathan Loates (69) was the only player to shine against Darren Walker (3 for 31) and the wiles of Ian Woodall (3 for 26) and the rest fell away quite dismally. Mansfield & Pleasley badly needed a morale-boosting win and this may well be it. The side does have good players in it but they were playing without confidence but this may well have restored that.