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PREMIER DIVISION REVIEW 2nd MAY 2009
Burslem are the only team with three wins out of three to open a ten point lead at the top of the Premier Division A.
They were six wicket victors at Longton after bowling the host team out for 163 with spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Michael Brown ripping through the Longton batting line-up. They took nine of the ten Longton wickets and only Mike Longmore with 53 and Pete Wilshaw 37 had any answer to the twin-spin attack.
In reply, Mushtaq completed an excellent outing as pro by hitting 38 not out to support a rapid 71 not out from Khalid Makik.
Knypersley are second after a tense affair at Stone. Knyprsley’s modest total of 144 was based on 42 from all-rounder Rob James, and James completed a superb day by taking 4-26. He was backed up by Andy Marshall’s 3-35 as the visitors won by 21 runs. Dave Pashley was the chief run-getter for Stone, with 36.
Newly-promoted Leycett and Hem Heath continue to struggle, with ‘Double H’’s last pair denying Leek at Highfields.
The home side’s meagre total of 135 was based on a solid 36 fro opener Rob Hayden. Hem Heath’s Brian Sims and D Milligan were the pick of the attack and it looked set fair for a first win of the season for Hem Heath.
But Richard Cooper’s 5-22 tore the visitors batting apart and at 58-9 it looked over, but for a second week running Darren Sanders bated superbly with an unbeaten 18 not out to deny Leek victory.
Leycett were crushed at home by
Porthill’s poor start continued in yet another low-scoring match. Chris Beech’s five wickets ensured that Porthill only reached a total of 148 on their home turf, and despite a mid-order collapse Moddershall reached their target for the loss of seven wickets.Beech followed up his bowling heroics with 41, and despite Joe Bridgewater’s four wickets the reigning champions won their first game of the season to move out of the relegation places.
Little Stoke moved above Audley in the table after a 49 run away win, taking a full 25 points in the process.
Little Stoke’s total of 192-4 declared was built around solid contributions from professional Richard Harvey (65) and Dan Hancock (40). In reply, only Sean Price was up to the test with an excellent 75, as opening bowlers Nick Bratt (4-37) and Dan Colclough (5-37) demolished the rest of the batting line-up between them.
DIVISON 1a REVIEW 2nd MAY 2009
It’s tight at the top of a competitive League 1A, where
Crewe’s 147 all out was indebted to Richard Marsh and Kemal Tomaran’s eight wicket partnership (Chris Guest 4-37, but it was too many for the home side who capitulated to 87 all out in the face of N McKenzie 3-26 and A Naseer 4-26. The visitors left with maximum points and are two points in front of Blythe and Sandyford both of whom won yesterday.
Blythe won a close encounter with fancied Barlaston whilst Sandyford won another nailbiter, this time on the road at Elworth.
Richard Sharp’s 59 was the main contribution to Barlaston’s 183, with Rob Mozelewski and Mortaza doing the damage with the ball for the home side. In reply, only 3 balls remained when the home side hit the winning runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Mark Stanyer’s marathon spell with the ball saw him claim five Blythe wickets but was not enough to save his side in an entertaining game.
Rob Beech was possibly the unluckiest cricketer around yesterday as his 4-11 and 66 not out was in vain as his Elworth side were beaten by Sandyford in a low-scoring affair.
The visitors score of 136 was based on a half century from professional Agantha Weerapuli, but Elworth fell just 13 runs short as they were shot thanks to Andy Barnett and Gareth Rigby’s four wickets apiece.
The visitors 113 all out was mainly down to number ten batsman Sibtain Haider who blasted a quickfire 31 not out. Home pro Milantha Thotuwilage was the pick of the
In a League 1A weekend of no draws, there were also victories for
Kidsgrove’s disappointing start to the season continued at
Norton were also comfortable winners at home to Cheadle as Staffordshitre’s Greg Willott shone again with the ball taking 6-59 as Cheadle were bowled out for 124, with the extras column being by far the highest scorer in the visitors total. Tony Dutton’s 77 not out ensured an easy 9 wicket men for the
DIVISON 2a REVIEW 2nd MAY 2009
Caverswall opened a six point lead at the top of Division 2a after hammering Checkley by 117 runs. Batting first, Caverswall’s Jake Edge fell just two runs short of a century as his team rattled up 224-5 declared against the visitors. Rob King also chipped in with a rapid 53.
In reply, Checkley had no answer to the medium pace of opening bowler Chris Baranowksi who had outstanding figures of 6-38 and he was ably supported by Rob Ratcliffe with 3-37.
Meakins are second despite a poor batting display against Bignall End. The
Dave Moreton then tore through Meakins’ top order to finish with 6-54 and maximum points for the home side.
Stone/Swynnerton Park are anchored at the foot of the table as they lost their third consecutive match, this time at home to mid-table Betley. Paul Bellfield’s four wickets ensured that the home side’s score of 126 was never going to be enough, and Richard Bebbington’s unbeaten half-century saw Betley coast to a five wicket win.
Promoted Alsager are also finding life tough after they were left hanging on for a draw against an Oulton team who are not finding it difficult to score runs this season. Melvyn Dawson’s excellent form with the bat continued as he hit 111, and despite 5-73 from Gareth Rowe, Oulton declared on 220-9.
In reply, Oliver Sadler’s 66 was the mainstay of the Alsager innings as they closed on 174-9, with veteran seamer Harish Patel taking four wickets.
Another team who are usually in good form with the bat is Weston, and once again they found runs quite easy to come by in declaring on 212-8 at home to an
Joe Gates with 59 top scored for the
In the division’s remaining game
DIVISON 3a REVIEW 2nd MAY 2009
Bagnall remain the early pacesetters in Division 3a but had to settle for a losing draw at Moddershall A.
Professional Nazir Ahmed was in outstanding form for the home side as he smashed 124 and took 3 wickets in the drawn game. Moddershall A’s total of 234-6 declared always looked too much for the visitors who had to settle for maximum batting points as they closed on 188-7.
Second placed Eccleshall also had to settle for a draw as they came close to defeating Endon. Eccleshall’s total 150 saw Lee Slater, Ed Smith and Michael Dawson all claim three wickets and looked to set the away team up for a victory, but Endon were in dire straits at 68-7 before an unbeaten 26 from Phil Rowley saw them to safety at 114-8.
Norton-in-Hales are still looking for their first win and are bottom of the table but came mighty close to that elusive victory against visiting Meir Heath/Fenton.
The home side were all out for 176 thanks mainly to B Furnival’s 69 and looked to have claimed maximum points but were held up by Phil Hall’s patient 31 as Meir Heath/Fenton closed on 130-9 with A Noden claiming for wickets.
Wedgwood and Stanfields continued their impressive start to the season with a nailbiting one wicket win over visitors Oakamoor with Richie Jervis playing a leading role.
Jervis took three Oakamoor wickets as the visitors posted a total of 168 (P Tomsczak 49, A Afridi 45) and then hit a fine half-century as the home side crept past Oakamoor’s total with their last pair at the crease. Afridi completed a good all-round day for him by taking four wickets.
Woore won comfortably at home to Hem Heath/Forsbrook despite only totalling 151. D Jacques with an unbeaten 66 was the home side’s main answer to the bowling of
In the remaining Division 3a fixture
Anthony Ballard 3.5.09