Marshalls sit top of the pile
by Paul Barker, 4th May 2008

Although it is very early days, Marshalls of Gainsborough proudly sit on top of the league after demolishing Notts. & Arnold Amateur at Middlefield Lane by 57 runs. This sets up an intriguing tussle on Bank Holiday Monday with Championship favourites Farnsfield who had to be content with a winning draw against a defiant Waleswood side at Station Lane.

Marshalls who started with a good win over Kiveton Park on the opening day of the season consolidated their position with another maximum points haul and it must be said were in total command all the way throughout the game. Batting first, Marshalls made an all out total of 173 with Mark Davies kicking in with 41 and Greg Andrews (31). Notts. & Arnold were well served by John Stephenson (3 for 30) and Richard Pallister (3 for 38).

Despite a dogged 27 by Peter Evans, Notts. & Arnold were bowled out for just 116 with Chris Hearn doing the bulk of the damage with 4 for 24 in an inspired spell. Great support came from Mark Davies (2 for 24) and Darren Andrews (2 for 25) as Marshalls coasted to victory with ease. There is a long way to go yet, but the Marshalls side are certainly playing with a terrific spirit and a real will to win and are superbly led by Paul Van den Heuvel.

Farnsfield looked certain to record their second successive win but a brilliant all-round effort by Gareth Davis saw promoted Waleswood hold out for a truly memorable draw. As to be expected, Farnsfield piled up the runs with the extremely talented youngster Sam Wood making 58, Damion Crowley (55) and Paul Franks failing for once as he only made 69. Gareth Davis not for the only time this afternoon was the thorn in the Farnsfield side taking 5 for 56 in a terrific spell of bowling.

Davis continued this superb showing with the bat as he made a magnificent unbeaten 107 as Waleswood closed on a highly creditable 226 for 9 and despite the fantastic efforts of Mark Silcock (5 for 43) they just could not prise the last pair out. This was a terrific hard fought match and whilst Farnsfield were on top most of the way, the people who were predicting nothing but doom and gloom for Waleswood might well now be thinking that they had got it slightly wrong.

Retford who were relegated from the Nottinghamshire Premier League last season fell to their second consecutive defeat and once again they failed to post a three figure total after batting first this time. They were dismissed for a paltry 99 with only Pascal Broadley (30) making any impression at all as opponents Cutthorpe sliced through them at will. Shakil Khan mesmerized them with his spin bowling taking 3 for 18 in a fantastic spell and Rob Plested with 4 for 36 wrapped up the job as Cutthorpe took complete command.

In reply their Sri-Lankan star Chandra Kumara who took 4 for 42 brilliantly served Retford, but the target set was undefendable and Cutthorpe reached 100 and victory with five wickets to spare. There is a long way to go yet, but Retford are beginning to look as though they might struggle, something, which has never been on the menu of this proud club. Don’t write them off, but they must improve a massive amount and we will watch their form with interest over the next few weeks.

A tight match at Park Avenue saw Glapwell fall to Kiveton Park by three wickets with just three balls remaining. Batting first, Glapwell were indebted to youngster Danny Bircumshaw who made an unbeaten 41 whilst Lee Brooks was the pick of the Kiveton attack with 3 for 38.

Not that Kiveton found this target easy and wickets fell at regular intervals with Jeff Wharton taking 3 for 29 in a fine spell of bowling. Rob Coxon (31) and Lee Brooks (25 n.o.) were the batsmen who saw Kiveton to victory but it was a struggle and neither side are firing on all cylinders as yet.

A superb century by Australian import Wade Townsend who made 109 saw Edwinstowe pick up the bulk of the points in a winning draw over neighbours Thoresby Colliery. Edwinstowe completed their innings on 229 for 7 with Martin Cheshire pegging back the rest of the batting with an admirable 4 for 40.

In reply Thoresby were held to 167 for 8 when the overs ran out with Cheshire completing a fine all round match with 34 runs. Both these sides look capable of holding their own at this level, but neither looks strong enough to trouble the best.

Bridon absolutely slaughtered a poor Killamarsh 2^nd side at Bolsover, bowling them out for just 76 and then winning by seven wickets very much as they pleased. Only Jez Noor with 37 held up the Bridon attack and Colin Hurst (3 for 9) and Tim Muir (4 for 4) both recorded the type of figures that every bowler dreams about.

Of course this target was nowhere near good enough and once again Kiwi star Tim Muir with an unbeaten 24 showed that Bridon have certainly landed themselves a very good all round player. This Bridon side could surprise one or two this season, but Killamarsh on the evidence of this look as though they are in for an extremely long hard season.

In Division 1, a fine virtuoso performance by South African import Jaun Pierre Devilliers took the strong Eckington side to the verge of victory over a youthful and talented Welbeck 2^nd. After losing two wickets, a mammoth stand by Devilliers and Chris Ludlam put Eckington in complete command until on 99, the former smashed a short-pitched ball straight down deep square leg’s throat to end a superb innings. Ludlam quickly followed on 35, but by this time Eckington had recovered to post a highly respectable score of 206 for 4.

Welbeck were always made to struggle when they replied and wickets fell regularly but to their eternal credit they held firm and managed a honourable draw at the close. Devilliers was again well to the fore taking 3 for 49 and Tom Dawson 3 for 24 as Welbeck closed out on 143 for 8 in a match played in great spirit by both sides.

Caythorpe 2^nd recorded their second outright win easily beating off the challenge of Mansfield Hosiery Mills 2^nd by a massive nine wicket margin. Hosiery Mills never gained any control and their innings resembled a strict procession to the wicket and back to the pavilion as they were dismissed for just 62! Daniel North (4 for 24) and Tim Haines (3 for 11) did most of the damage with a concentrated assault on the Hosiery Mills batsmen.

In reply Caythorpe strolled home to victory for the single loss of Richard Coleman who made 18. Josh Bolus (24 n.o.) and James Oldham (15 n.o.) made batting look rather easy as Caythorpe eased their way to 63 for 1 with the minimum of fuss.

Papplewick & Linby 2^nd slumped to a narrow defeat against Mansfield & Pleasley on Chesterfield Road and the scores would suggest that the weather we had suffered earlier in the week played a massive part as wickets fell like rain at regular intervals.

Batting first Papplewick slumped to a very ordinary 101 all out with only Ed Somekh (20) making any impact as Ian Woodall (4 for 15) ripped through some rather flimsy resistance. Facing this meagre total Mansfield & Pleasley struggled badly but managed to claw their way to 102 for 7 with Australian Bradley Sengstock (27) and Matt Page (23) being the difference between victory and defeat. Nagasair Sookram (3 for 10) was the pick of the Papplewick attack but the total posted was just short of presenting a realistic target.

Worksop may well have unearthed a real diamond with their overseas player Thomas Dangarembizi who blasted a tremendous 62 runs off just 13 overs as his side made 152 for 7 when the innings closed. Good support came from Mark Ambrose (25 n.o.) whilst Karl Mayes (3 for 39) was the pick of the Blidworth attack.

This score might have been vulnerable but Dangarembizi showed what he could do with the bat he could do equally well with the ball starting off with a double wicket maiden. He finally completed a quite brilliant spell taking 4 for 16 as Blidworth just held out on 90 for 8 mainly thanks to Dave Willcock (22) and Richard Smith (18) who both applied themselves well to the job in hand. One gets the impression that we will be hearing a lot more of the Zimbabwean Dangarembizi before the season closes. Watch this space.

Whitwell slumped to a second consecutive defeat but if they had posted a half decent score one gets the impression they might have won. Batting first, Whitwell were held to a disappointing 107 for 8 with only Andrew Shaw (24 n.o.) and Darren Westerby (21) making much of a mark. For opponents West Indian Cavaliers 2^nd, Zubin Faisal took a rather impressive 6 for 16 and this was the defining factor in the match.

This meagre total was never going to be enough and whilst the Cavaliers stuttered and scrambled they reached it with four wickets to spare. Danny Frankson (41) and that man Zubin Faisal (15 n.o.) saw them home despite a tremendous fight-back that saw Andrew Shaw (2 for 21), Darren Westerby (2 for 27) and Martin Goodwright (2 for 38) pull out all the stops to turn the game around. It was a forlorn hope, but if Whitwell can start scoring runs, they may well threaten the best of sides.

The other match between Anston and Ransomes & Marles was postponed owing to the pitch being unfit.