Cuckney are the champions
by Paul Barker, 28th August 2007

After a match that just about broke every record going in Division 1, Cuckney were crowned champions and will be playing next season in the Nottinghamshire Premier League. In an incredible match against bottom club Ransome & Marles a staggering 660 runs were scored for only seven wickets lost, with three centuries (two of which were huge and unbeaten) thrown in for good measure.

The Langwith Road ground has never before witnessed such a run feast and it was prime entertainment at its very best and records were blown out of the window at will. Firstly Cuckney’s monumental score of 433 for 2 smashed the previous best 351 by Chesterfield back in 1997 to smithereens and the 660 run aggregate simply blew away the previous best between Bridon and Caythorpe who shared 583 back in 1994.

Batting first, Cuckney looked as though they were determined to make someone suffer for their defeat against Farnsfield on Saturday, and Ransome’s were the unfortunate recipients. There was no respite for the Ransome’s bowling as shot after shot kept disappearing too and over the boundary. Kunil Jogea must have been cursing that he got out for 85, but once again the incredible Richard Stroh alongside his skipper Will Butler just never let the pace relent for a single moment.

Stroh made a tremendous unbeaten 209 and Butler who has not had the best of times with the bat this season but is far too good a player for this run to continue, came on strong with 115. Who will win the league batting averages this season will have done it the hard way with three major contenders for honours and Stroh must be incredibly close because he just never stops scoring runs.

After the mauling they received one could have forgiven Ransomes if they had just folded but to their eternal credit they did quite superbly and were 227 for 5 at the close. This was mainly duo to South African star Henno Jordaan who made a fantastic unbeaten 163 and showed what a good player he is. He may have wondered why his side had had such a disappointing season but he himself has made quite a number of runs and has made quite an impact in his stay here.

Glapwell are another side that must have thought they had the job pretty well done when they scored a massive 286 for 6 when their overs ran out at Farnsfield. However they should have known better because any score is achievable on the brilliant Station Lane strip and Farnsfield rattled along to a five-wicket success with eleven balls to spare.

Richard Hope who has come into form with a vengeance made a cultured 103 runs and great support came from his skipper Dean Graney (34) and wicket-keeper Shaun Johnson (37). Rashid Riaz tweaked his spinners to good effect taking three wickets but at a cost of 80 runs as Glapwell kept the score moving along at a rapid pace.

Even this huge total was not enough and Farnsfield buoyed up by their win at Cuckney wasted no time in moving along after this total. Rashid Riaz once again showed all his wonderful ability making 79 and skipper Andy Edwards also weighed in with 46, but with five wickets down and 130 still needed, the odds must have been very much in Glapwell’s favour.

What clinched the match was a tremendous unbroken stand of 130 between the dependable Paul Delaney (52 n.o.) and a real star of the future, 14 year old Sam Wood (77 n.o.). Delaney has long been an ultra reliable player, but Wood is totally unflappable for such a young man and will score a massive amount of runs throughout his career. This pair usually open the innings for Farnsfield but for some reason they batted at numbers 6 and 7 in this match. Glapwell probably wished they hadn’t bothered at all as they sailed to 287 for 5 and victory.

Kiveton have totally gone from the confident side that was turning out earlier in the season. They went down to another heavy defeat against Worksop who are still striving to stay up but the odds are stacked heavily against them.

Batting first Worksop made a huge total of 282 for 4 with Tim Ward scoring a brilliant 104. Glenn Pym (68) and Nandika Ranjith (58) kept things moving and it showed what the side are capable of when things are going right for them. Sri-Lankan Harsha Cooray took 3 for 41 but he was the only success in the Kiveton attack.

Cooray again showed what an excellent all rounder he is and scored 71 to add to his century on Saturday. There was little or no support however and Kiveton crumpled to 153 all out with John Smith (4 for 42) and Adam Hancock chipping in with 3 for 17. Worksop’s task is almost impossible but they certainly have the will to win and had they signed Ranjith earlier they might not have been in this mess. Their revival of form stems from his arrival but its not over yet, although it would take a miracle to turn things around.

Can anybody stop Notts. & Arnold Amateurs Australian star Tom Elliot scoring runs? Marshalls on Saturday and Bridon on Monday certainly couldn’t and he took a century off each side to make it seven league ‘tons’ this season.

Batting first Elliot was quickly into his stride and made a fabulous 118 before he was out and when one considers that Notts. & Arnold were all out for 226 it goes to prove what a fantastic job he had done. Bridon stuck to their task well however with Shaun Parkin (4 for 39) and Simon Davison (4 for 84) both bowling excellently.

In reply, Bridon feel just short, being bowled out for 203. At several times it looked as though victory could have easily been there’s but in the end they had to settle for second best. Wayne Spooner (47), Simon Davison (32) and Will Lee (36) all batted well but all got out when their side needed them to stick around for a few more overs. Shav Ahmed with 3 for 73 was the best of the Notts. & Arnold attack in what was another excellent hard fought encounter.

Cutthorpe and Thoresby Colliery had to settle for a draw at Fourth Avenue with neither side being able to force a result. Batting first Cutthorpe made 217 for 9 which is certainly not a great score on a wicket as good as this one. Tim Barlow (36), Steve Chapman (43) and Rob Plested (36) all batted well but nobody went on to make the huge score required mainly due to the fact that Bill Lippeatt had an inspired day and had the superb figures of 6 for 57 and was a constant menace all the time.

In reply Nigel Birkett (45) and Martin Cheshire (50 n.o.) both batted well but the Cutthorpe attack was miserly and with Farhun Ayub (3 for 68) spearheading it Thoresby had to be content with a losing draw as they closed on 168 for 5.

Papplewick and Linby 2^nd used the game they had in hand to gatecrash themselves to the top of the table in Division 2. Batting first against Eckington who were just on the edges of the promotion chase themselves, they amassed 210 for 9 with Jamie Peat (45) and Matt Dear (43) leading the charge whilst Ian O’Neill (4 for 52) and Wayne Dye (3 for 44) bowled superbly for Eckington.

After a brave and bold effort, Eckington came up just short on 197 for 7 with Ian O’Neill showing all his class with a brilliant 87. The nagging line and length of Steve Alford was the major difference between the two sides as he took 2 for 23 from his thirteen overs, a quite remarkable effort.

Blidworth and Whitwell fought out a drawn match at Burmah Road and the result makes both sides almost safe. Batting first, Blidworth were 197 for 7 with Matt Slade (76) and Andy Watson (55) making the bulk of the runs whilst Andy Heath (3 for 44) carried the threat for Whitwell.

With skipper Heath Bush leading from the front with 31, Whitwell might have hoped for an important win but the support was lacking and they closed on 140 for 9 and they still need a few points to be completely safe.

Anston are now in real trouble and are getting sucked further into the mire with every game. They lost again to Mansfield Hosiery Mills 2^nd mainly due to a fantastic virtuoso performance by Sri-Lankan Asela Jayasinge who took 5 for 26 and followed that up with an unbeaten 87. Anston could only manage 173 for 9 with only Mark Parkinson (54) and Andy Forster (40) showing anything like true form.

This was never going to be enough and although Adam Crowle (4 for 33) bowled well nobody could contain Jayasinghe and a vital victory was recorded by the Hosiery Mills.

The final match took place at Caythorpe where the home side completed a vital and much needed maximum points win over Everton who are definitely doomed. Batting first Caythorpe declared with eight overs remaining on 223 for 4, which looked a tad generous, but as things turned out they certainly knew what they were doing..

James Hawley (65), James Hartley (62 n.o.) and Andy Hunt (50) all batted well whilst young slow bowler Simon Peck with 2 for 76, did a great job in trying to keep Everton in the game.

Although several of their younger players looked extremely promising, Everton were dismissed for just 88. Jon Shaw top scored with 27 but the damage caused by Daniel North (3 for 29) and James Hawley (5 for 21) was too significant and Caythorpe were victorious by 135 runs.