Fantastic Franks fires Farnsfield
by Paul Barker, 26th August 2007

Up to Saturday, league leaders and champions elect, Cuckney had lost only one match when they were bowled out for just 68 in an emotionally charged encounter against the then nearest rivals Kiveton Park. They quickly recovered their composure and went on another great run, which has virtually given them the title, but in their latest battle they were absolutely crushed by Farnsfield by eight wickets in a high scoring spectacular.

The hero of the hour was Nottinghamshire’s Paul Franks who blasted a magnificent unbeaten 135 as Farnsfield knocked off the huge total of 242 for 6 and only lost a couple of wickets in the process. Once again Richard Stroh was the star performer for Cuckney and what a season he has had. He has been the backbone of the Cuckney batting and his side owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his efforts this season.

When he first arrived here from South Africa three years ago, he was noted principally for his bowling, but he has developed as a batsman of class and quality and has made himself a confounded nuisance to virtually all opposition this season. On this occasion he flayed the Farnsfield attack to all corners of the park in making 105 and in cahoots with him was Steve Bentley who is another player who has had a brilliant season since moving from Worksop at the end of last term. Bentley made 52 as Cuckney built up a truly formidable total, which would have been far too many for most sides.

Not for Farnsfield however! With excellent support from 14 year-old Sam Wood who made 41 and the brilliant Pakistani Rashid Riaz (31), Franks tore into the Cuckney attack with the ferocity of a lion which hadn’t eaten for a week and slammed the bowling everywhere in his elegant style which always makes whatever he does look ridiculously easy.

Their can be no doubt that Franks is quality of the highest order and when he is in this vein no side in the league will stop him. Farnsfield arrived at 243 for 2 and a brilliant deserved victory to enhance their intentions of finishing second in the league. Cuckney should still run out worthy champions, but this day belonged to Farnsfield and Franks and they thoroughly deserved all the accolades.

For three quarters of the season, Kiveton Park stuck doggedly to Cuckney’s shirttails and actually topped the league for a short period of time, but since their losing draw at Langwith Road, the wheels seem to have come off big style. Their latest disaster came at Glapwell and once again it was a tremendous high scoring affair with just a few balls remaining when the winning hit was made.

Batting first Kiveton made a massive 241 for 4 with Sri Lankan Harsha Cooray who has been a huge success story making a magnificent 100 n.o. He received excellent support from Richard Grainger (55), Rob Coxon (42) and Matty Cartwright (30) whilst veteran Nick Bircumshaw showed he could still do it by spearheading the Glapwell attack with his 3 for 34 from 15 excellent overs.

In reply Glapwell went for the jugular from the word go and superb knocks by Rob Davison (39), Lee Topham (64) and Richard Hope (50) guided them to 242 for 5 and victory by five wickets with just five balls remaining.

Bolsover returned back to form with a comfortable 89 run win over Bridon who are still hovering above the relegation net. Batting first, Bolsover made 221 all out with skipper Mark Bull leading the way on 64 and Steve Wooley in his usual hard hitting form making 49. Wayne Spooner (5 for 37) led his team from the front and at teatime, Bridon must have been thinking they had quite a chance.

However, Bridon’s season has been blighted by inconsistency and this was one of those days when their batting never got going at all. Only veteran Gareth Jones of Bridon’s halcyon days of the 1980’s with 33 excellent runs saved them from an even heavier defeat as Andy Roddis (6 for 42) ripped through some rather tepid resistance as they slumped to 142 all out.

Another match with an even tighter finish than what we have reviewed before took place at Goosedale Lane with Notts. & Arnold Amateur beating Marshalls off the very last ball of the match! Batting first, Marshalls blazed away with Paul Van den Heuvel and Greg Andrews being particularly severe on the bad ball.

Van den Heuvel was first to go for 21, but a fine and extremely productive stand by Andrews who smashed every bad ball to the fence and Mark Davis soon had the score leaping up. Andrews made 80 and Davies was unbeaten with a tremendous 82 when the innings closed on 251 for 6.

Mark Whitlam (27) helped Davies towards the end of the innings and they received an added bonus by some rather abject fielding by the Notts. & Arnold side in the last hour of the innings. Tom Elliot with 3 for 66 was the pick of the Notts. & Arnold attack but the final total was a huge one and presented the home side with a mighty task.

With someone as good as Tom Elliot in your side you still have a chance even facing a total that big and the Australian played some fantastic shots all around the wicket to set his team off on the right track. Joe Pallister (44) provided fine support but it was Elliot who was a constant threat to the Marshalls attack and he blasted every loose ball out of sight on his way to making a superb 103 his sixth league century of the season.

When Elliot was caught on the mid-wicket fence, Notts. & Arnold still had about sixty runs to make up but Sham Yaqoob (37) produced some massive blows before getting out with eight runs still needed. With one ball remaining, Notts. & Arnold needed one run to tie and two for victory and with the field sensibly closed in the ball was despatched through mid-wicket for four to give the home side a fantastic victory, in a game which had just about everything.

Worksop annhilated Thoresby Colliery by six wickets at Central Avenue and you can’t fault this side for the spirit they are showing. However they need a party piece to match Harry Houdini to escape the drop with Bridon now being 37 points to the good and the Ordsall side will need to collapse in dramatic fashion to drop back down.

David Hancock who has bowled brilliantly the last few weeks was once again a major threat taking 4 for 38 as Thoresby managed a paltry 148 all out. Only Nigel Birkett (44) made much impression and the target set didn’t look possible to defend.

And so it proved as Mark Ambrose (59) and Tim Ward (42) moved Worksop away well and although a glut of wickets fell in the middle order they managed 150 for 6 and victory. Farook Aziz (3 for 34) was the most productive bowler but this was Worksop’s day and although they look to have left it too late, nobody will find it easy against them.

Ransome & Marles have had a season to forget and their confirmed relegation back to Division 2 is almost complete. They went down heavily again at Cutthorpe losing by six wickets in very comfortable circumstances. Batting first they were all out for 148 which seems about par for the course for them and only Henno Jordaan (53) and Nigel Murray (31) restored any backbone into the innings. Asadullah Butt proved much too good for them taking 5 for 42 and Steve Chapman took 3 for 42 as the innings simply crumbled.

The talented Matt Cluer was the Cutthorpe star making an elegant 59 and received excellent support from Tim Barlow (27) and John Combe (27 n.o.) as they reached 150 for 4 and victory. Ian Sellars (3 for 68) was the best of the Ransomes attack as they slumped to a comprehensive defeat.

In Division 2 league leaders Waleswood met second placed Edwinstowe and the latter by way of a winning draw leapfrogged to the top of the table. Batting first, Edwinstowe reached 224 all out with Mohammad Wajihuddin (31) and Jon Garnham who is without doubt one of the most reliable middle order batsmen in the section making 44. The excellent Gareth Davis (4 for 26) again produced the goods but this looked to be quite a good score that would test Waleswood to the maximum.

That assumption turned out to be correct as Edwinstowe put the pressure on throughout their entire attack and at the close Waleswood were hanging on at 134 for 8 mainly due to Jason Clarke who made a fine 42 to help them stave off outright defeat.

At this point of the season, one must pay their tributes to league fixture secretary Bev Norris who must have guessed who would be near the top at this stage and matched them together as one only needs to look at what is left and there are some almighty ‘clinkers’ left that will decide who goes up and down. Either that or he has been extremely fortunate!

Papplewick & Linby 2^nd are a massive threat to both the top two teams. They are only a few points behind and a game in hand and the way they are playing you would put them down as a cast iron certainty for promotion. They managed a winning draw against Whitwell and I have it on good authority from a spokesman of that side that everything that is good about the game of cricket came to the fore in this match.

The incident in question came when a Whitwell player was given out stumped but after a few words between the bowler and the wicket-keeper he was recalled as it was deemed that the stumping had not been performed cleanly. Full marks to the Papplewick side for their sporting action.

The match itself saw Papplewick make 237 for 8 chiefly due to a brilliant 75 from Matt Dear when his side were five wickets down and struggling. Dear was supreme and received excellent support from John Thrower (49) and Robin Rhodes (27) whilst Andrew Heath with 4 for 64 was the pick of the Whitwell attack.

Whitwell made a fine fist of getting the runs and Duncan Forrest (49), Dave Jessop (54) and young Christian Foster with a blazing 51 took them to 188 for 8 when the overs ran out. Robin Rhodes (4 for 25) was the best of the Papplewick attack and they do look a tremendous proposition at the moment. Whitwell must be hoping that Alan Draycott who without question was one of the best batsmen in this Division a couple of years ago will regain form next season. He should do because he is too good a player to continue in this chasm for long, but it looks like it will be nest term before things change now.

Eckington once again look as though they are going to miss out. They are without doubt a good side and had the talented James Daniel played this season they would have been close to being formidable, but it looks as though it is not to be this time around.

Batting first, Eckington made a useful 204 for 7 with South African Ian O’Neill once again calling the shots with 69 and ‘Mr. Dependable’, Chris Ludlam making 63.

In reply Caythorpe who are in serious trouble at the other end of the table nearly pulled of a surprising victory making 200 for 6 when the overs ran out. James Hawley ((62) and Richard Beaumont (46) were the batsmen in form whilst Luke Dawson was the hindrance to them taking 3 for 40 and producing wickets at vital times. Twelve runs were needed off the final over, but although they managed eight, Caythorpe couldn’t quite finish the job off.

Mansfield & Pleasley managed to pull off the easiest win of the day in this section by nine wickets and have plunged Anston their opponents, closer to the relegation trap door. Anston were dismissed for just 103, mainly thanks to Australian Brad Stengstock (3 for 23) who has found his best form late in the season and Ian Woodall (3 for 31). This total proved hopelessly inadequate as Stengstock blasted an unbeaten 69 as Mansfield & Pleasley cruised to victory on 103 for 1.

Another team who are now in dire trouble is Mansfield Hosiery Mills 2^nd and they were left hanging on grimly at North Wheatley with Leverton who smashed the highest score of the day in this division, a massive 301 for 4.

Wayne Harrison was at his brilliant best making 120 and James Waller (49 n.o.), Wayne Ellis (39 n.o.) and Jon Loates (31) all batted superbly in support. Hosiery Mills were hanging on at the close on 188 for 8 with Ben Rossi (64) and Adam Dobb (54) top scoring whilst Jon Loates (3 for 58) tried his utmost to win the match for his side. Hosiery Mills are now in desperate trouble and are only one place above the relegation candidates. They desperately need a win to take some pressure of them.

Blidworth took a winning draw against the virtually doomed Everton side that have shown a lot more grit in the last few matches. Dave Willcock (43) and Matt Slade (43) helped Blidworth reach 214 for 8 whilst Tom Eldread (4 for 40) bowled extremely well for Everton.

In reply, Everton managed a commendable 187 for 7 with Rob Nicholas (56 n.o.) and Mark Anthony 38) both batting extremely well. Dave Willcock (3 for 41) completed a fine all round performance for Blidworth who took seventeen points from the encounter.