Cuckney straight into first gear
by Paul Barker, 22nd April 2007

After missing out by a single point to Killamarsh last season, Cuckney look as though they really mean business this time around as they overcame Glapwell by 79 runs at Park Avenue. Batting first Cuckney got away to a steady start but wickets fell regularly along the way and at one time they stood rather precariously positioned at 71 for 5. From that moment Richard Stroh and Elliott Hind put together a good stand taking no chances and it was this partnership, which altered the whole course of the game.

Stroh made a high class 96 before skiing Chris Barrett to be caught on the boundary by Matt Hall whilst Hind remained unbeaten on 26 before the innings closed on 199 for 7 with Glapwell’s new express bowler Umair Khan bagging 3 for 55 and Chris Barrett helping himself to 2 for 48.

Glapwell started confidently before Stroh wrecked Rob Davison’s stumps and when Lee Topham and Matt Hall both followed the target looked a long way away. Dean Graney and Richard Hope battled hard and actually looked in control until the score reached 78 when the former was caught at slip. In the same over Richard Hope was bowled.

 Three more wickets fell instantly as the score slumped to 81 for 8, and only a face-saving stand between Umair Khan who smote one monumental six, and Andy Woolven added an air of respectability to the Glapwell score as they were bowled out for 120.

 Steve Randall (3 for 36) and Kevin Musgrove (3 for 24) took most of the wickets and Cuckney are away to a flyer. There’s a long way to go, but with Elliott Hind arriving at the crease at No. 7, they do have an extremely potent look about them. Glapwell will be cheered by their fast bowling recruit Umair Khan who on a pitch with some bounce in it will create havoc, yes he is that quick and with his height he will be a real handful.

Ransome and Marles one of the two promoted teams quickly found that life is not as easy in Division 1 coming a cropper by eight wickets at Farnsfield. Batting first, Ransomes made 182 for 9 in their 50 overs and knowing how good this wicket is, it never looked likely to be enough. Ian Sellars (54) and Rob Taylor (58) both batted well but the final total looked well short as Farnsfield with Phil Creswell (3 for 30) in good form tied them down.

And so it proved as Farnsfield skated home losing only two wickets in the process. 14 year old Sam Wood made an assured 62 with a maturity well beyond his young years and the Pakistani star Rashid Riaz who looked so good last season was unbeaten on 72 as Farnsfield reached 186 for 2 and victory. Ransomes will quickly learn that you need at least 250 and probably more to be in with a chance at Farnsfield but they won’t encounter many pitches as docile as this one.

The other promoted side, Bridon did a lot more and if they had not handed around ten overs to Kiveton they might have got away to an even better start. Bridon reached 197 all out with Roger Wells (31), Wayne Spooner (57) and Richard Topham (48) all scoring well but the problems posed to them came from Kiveton’s Sri Lankan off spin recruit Harsha Cooray who bowled superbly to take 5 for 60. Chris Storey (4 for 52) also bowled well, but Bridon were later to regret not batting out the full 50 overs.

Inspired by Simon Davison (4 for 62), Bridon came out with all guns firing and it was only a brilliant unbeaten innings of 83 by Matty Cartwright and 31 from Jordan Cocks that saw Kiveton scrape home on 201 for 8 by just two wickets. On this form, Bridon look capable of springing a surprise or two whilst Kiveton look to have unearthed a real ‘diamond’ in Cooray.

Thoresby Colliery who are back in the Bassetlaw after a brief foray in the Premier League piled up the section’s highest score when they made a staggering 283 for 5 at Goosedale against Notts. & Arnold Amateur. Martin Cheshire made 107 and Nigel Burkitt (67) in a huge opening stand and runs flowed at breakneck speed from the Thoresby batsmen.

This total was far too many as Notts. & Arnold were bowled out for just 175. Only Joe Pallister (36), Peter Evans (30) and Shazad Ahmed (33) offered much resistance as the wickets fell at regular intervals to Stevie Willis (3 for 30) and New Zealander Chris Spring (3 for 34) who helped Thoresby to a huge win.

Cutthorpe even without their two stars Asadullah Butt and Farhan Ayub still proved much too good for Worksop as they marched to a five wicket win there. Batting first Worksop could only muster 197 for 5 with sound contributions coming from Glenn Pym (59), skipper Luke Ambrose (56 n.o.) and Tim Ward (36).

This target proved not enough as Matt Cluer (56) and Steve Chapman (42) catapulted Cutthorpe to an easy win on 201 for 5. Cutthorpe will be a force to reckon with when they are at full strength, whilst Worksop showed that they could battle hard.

An excellent match at Villas Road saw Bolsover beat Marshalls by 44 runs in a real ‘cracker’. Bolsover batted well to reach 251 for 7 with skipper Mark Bull (35), Chris Cowley (30) and Andy Rogers (83) taking a heavy toll on the Marshalls attack. Gareth Andrews (4 for 70) stuck to his guns well taking 4 for 70 in an inspired spell.

In reply Marshalls made a brave effort totalling 207 all out with Paul Van den Heuvel scoring a magnificent 100 and James Deacon a measured 52. Bolsover were well served by newcomer Moazim Khan  who bagged 6 for 47 and looked a likely threat to all the sides in the league throughout the season.

Who will win Division 2 this time around? Edwinstowe will be most people’s favourites and they started well enough by gaining a winning draw against North Wheatley with Leverton. Batting first, Edwinstowe made 220 for 8 with James Peacock making 50 and Paul Benson (39) and Gareth Price (31) also adding useful runs. Richard Robinson (3 for 45) and Jamie Bovill (3 for 36) did an admirable job with the ball for North Wheatley.

In reply North Wheatley thanks to Dave Waller (52) and Wayne Harrison (48) made quite a fight of it as their side finished on a creditable 172 for 7.

Don’t ignore, Eckington. They have floated around the top for a number of years now and this could be their season. Their opponents on this first week were Anston who made a reasonable fist of things scoring 203 all out with both Mick Norbury (85) and Andy Ruczenczyn (58) scoring well. Wayne Dye was the pick of the Eckington bowlers taking 3 for 67 in a tight and accurate spell.

This target never posed so much as the slightest threat to Eckington who cruised to a seven-wicket win. South African Ian O’Neill (31), and Rob Carlile (34) got things moving early on and the victory was cemented by Julian Carlile (64 n.o.) and Tom Dawson (63 n.o.) as the score reached 208 for 3. Eckington certainly will threaten every team in this section and they look even stronger this time around.

Blidworth must be in the shake-up after relegation last season and they started with an impressive seven-wicket win at Papplewick. Batting first, Papplewick reached 160 for 9 with Matt Dear top scoring on 65 whilst Rollo Sharma (3 for 24) and Pete Wood (4 for 48) both bowled well for Blidworth.

This was easily topped as Dave Willcock who missed most of last season with injury looked in supreme form making an unbeaten 82. Dave Norwood added 32 and although Ian Hardy bowled well to take 3 for 42, Papplewick never looked in with any sort of shout as Blidworth coasted to 161 for 3.

Mansfield & Pleasley are another side who made significant progress last season and they started with a good winning draw against promoted Caythorpe 2^nd. They were well served with the bat by Ian Woodall who contributed so much last season and he started this term with a magnificent 116. Great support came from Brad Stengstock an Australian recruit who made 76 as Mansfield & Pleasley closed on 235 for 6.

Caythorpe made a good effort in reply reaching 190 for 7 when the overs ran out. Excellent contributions came from Richard Beaumont (55) and Paul Reddington (35) whilst Darren Walker and Brad Stengstock bagged a couple of wickets each.

The other promoted side Waleswood started with a good win against Mansfield Hosiery Mills 2^nd at the Fieldings. Batting first Hosiery Mills reached 190 all out with Darren Johnson unbeaten on 53 and Craig Scholes making 42. Peter Norbury was the best of the Waleswood attack taking 3 for 27 in a tidy spell.

In reply Waleswood reached 191 for 7 to secure a tremendous three-wicket win. Gareth Davis made 79, and Amer Riaz 48 as they made a terrific start. Hosiery Mills were well served by Darren Brittlebank (3 for 42) and Craig Scholes (3 for 58) but nothing could stop an inspired Waleswood side that have made good progress through the leagues over the last few years.

Whitwell who were expected to have a great season made a dismal start after dismissing Everton for just 132. Only Peter Dobson (36) made much impact as Heath Bush (4 for 23) put Whitwell in command, or so one would have thought.

Although for once Jon Mimms missed out with the bat, he came up trumps with the ball taking 3 for 5 as Whitwell collapsed to just 116 all out to lose by 16 runs. There is no doubt that Mimms is a top quality player and whilst everyone was talking about Le Clus in this section last season, Mimms’s figures were not that far away from the South African’s. Take a look and see.