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PREMIER DIVISION REVIEW 14th JUNE 2009
Longton remain on top as a day of sunshine meant positive cricket and a day without draws in the Premier Division.
Leycett hosted the leaders and were routed by Pete Wilshaw’s men who collected a full 25 points and have built up a 16 point lead at the top. Longton’s massive 231-4 declared was built on a superb 95 not out from professional Roger Sillence and solid knocks from Tom Birks and Tom Oakes.
In reply, Sillence completed a fantastic all-round display with four cheap wickets as Longton won by a massive 103 runs.
Knypersley kept up the pressure on the leaders with a narrow three wicket win in alow-scoring game at Little Stoke. Paul Goodwin’s team looked to be on course for a a comfortable win after dismissing their hosts for just 138. Richard Adams was the only home batter to put up any real resistance in the face of Andy Marshall and Dany Hancock’s three wickets apiece.
Skipper Goodwin then played a captain’s knock of 43 not out to see his side overtake Little Stoke’s score for the loss of seven wickets.
In the basement battle it was Stone who came out on top at fellow strugglers Leek.
The Highfields men were all out for 210 with Rob Haydon top scoring with 80 in the face of Azhar Mahmood’s five wicket haul. Haydon received back-up from Richard Cooper with 38, but Stone cruised to a six wicket victory with half centuries from Mahmood, Luke Cheadle and Shaun Jenkinson. Leek are now second bottom and eleven points adrift of Stone.
Wood Lane and Porthill are the division’s in-form teams and both won again.
Porthill’s outstanding pro Fazl Akbar was again in the wickets with another eight in their 136 run hammering of hosts Audley.
Matt Hole (74) and Dave Cotton with an unbeaten 69 ensured that Porthill could declare on 225-6 and then let Akbar wreak havoc. His eight wickets came at a cost of only 39 runs as Audley were reduced to just 89 all out.
Meanwhile, Matt Hagan’s Megacre outfit won on the road at Hem Heath, and they now lie in a threatening third place.
In reply, Double H lost wickets at regular intervals as Dave Cooper and Steve Norcup took three wickets apiece as the visitors coasted to a 59 run win and 25 points.
In the division’s other game Burslem got back to winning ways with a five wicket win at home to Moddershall. The visitors totalled 190-9 in their 60 overs with Michael Brown taking three wickets and R Herath top-scoring with 57. Despite Herath’s 4-83 Brown was in tremendous form with the bat too, as his 80 paved the way for the home side to canter home in just 43 overs.
DIVISION 1A REVIEW 13th JUNE 2009
Elworth remain at the top of the table after tdemolsihing promotion rivals Norton by 112 runs and taking maximum points.
For once Murray Ranger failed with the bat, but Elworth still reached 178-9 decelared thanks mainly to Chris Regan’s haf-century in the face of more excellent bowling from Greg Willottt who took forwickets.
Norton capitulated in the face of veteran off-spinner Jim Higgins who took 6-20 from 17 outstanding overs and they drop down to fifth whilst Elworth have a 27 point gap ahead of second placed Sandyford who won at inconsistent Kidsgrove in their local derby.
Sandyford romped to an easy ten wicket victory after bowling their hosts out for just 127 and then knocking off the required runs without loss.
Barlaston are hitting form after the arrival of their professional Niroshan Bandaratilleke. He took five wickets and hit 30 as his team won by six wickets at Cheadle after chasing down 203.
But it took an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 94 between Mark Stanyer and Ramzan Mohammed to see Barlaston home and into third spot.
Meir Heaths’ miserable season continues after they were outplayed at Stafford. Batting first, Meir Heath only totalled 134 after Oliver Stark took four wickets for the home side. Stafford cantered to victory thanks to opener Ashley Lunn’s unbeaten half-century. Meir Heath are now bottom of the table.
Promoted Whitmore moved into mid-table with a low scoring victory at home to Crewe. The visitors totalled just 128 on a day of low scores, with Imran Fazil taking five wickets and Sibtain Haider providing good back up with 3-16.
Fazil then backed this up with 35 as the home side scraped home by two wickets. Crewe are now second from bottom as Rode Park almost forced a win at Blythe.
Rode Park hit a mammoth 300-9 declared (S Liburd 95,A Perry 44) but may regret not declaring sooner after having Blythe 9 wickets down at the end on 196, with Ryan Jones taking three Blythe wickets.
DIVISION 2A REVIEW 13th JUNE 2009
Oulton remain top, but only just after the tightest of wins at struggling Bignall End. The home side could only muster 114 against one of the best batting line ups in the league, but Dave Moreton’s 5-59 ensured a tense finish, with Oulton scraping home by one wicket thanks mainly to Myles Coughlan’s 35.
There were plenty of runs at Basford Bridge Lane as second placed Ashcombe drew at home to Betley.
The visitors amassed 273-5 with Richard Bebbington and Jamie Jervis both making good contributions with the willow. In reply Ashcombe reached 248-9 in the face of good bowling from Dave Follett and Darren Snape. Dave Clowes top-scored for the home side with 63 and Tom Boulton made 60.
Stone/Swynnerton remain bottom after a hammering at Caverswall. The vistors could only reach 134 with Chris Baranowski taking five wickets, and an unbeaten half-century from Karl Cassidy ensured that the home side strolled to victory in just 22 overs for an early finish.
There was an early finish at Meakins where the home side destroyed visiting Newcastle by 9 wickets after bowling them out for 127. Rhanil Dhammika with 4-15 and Zaffar Iqbal with 4-38 were the chief destroyers and Sam Nixon and P Ponnundrai both hit unbeaten half centuries to see the hosts easily home.
In form sides Checkley and Alsager were involved in a tepid draw with neither side looking like achieving victory. Checklye batted first and amassed 245-8 declared with half centuries for John Pickles and Alvin Beardmore. Gartehr Rowe with four wickets was Alsager’s main spearhead.
In reply, Alsager finished on 193-5 with Mohammed Arshad remaining undefeated on 53.
Weston went up to third in the table with an easy win away at Silverdale. Rj Kumar was once again in prime form with an unbeaten 121 as his side racked up 242-7 declared. Despite Steve Jones unbeaten 82, the home side crumbled to 155 all out in the face of another excellent showing by Phil Stockton (5-50).
DIVISION 3A REVIEW 13th JUNE 2009
Bagnall have lost for the first time this season as local rivals Endon won by 48 runs in the divisions match of the day.
Lee Slater was once more in good form for the home side with 53 and Mick Dawson also hit an unbeaten half century as Endon ran up a formidable 237-7 declared. Despite V Sharma’s 69, Bagnall had no answer to former player Dawson, as he finished an excellent all-round match with four cheap wickets.
Moddershall A were the division’s big movers as they demolished Porthill A on theirc travels. Moddershall’s 184 owed much to pro U Indrasiri’s 54, and he was in great form with the ball as his 6-28 skittled Porthill for 58, and gave Modd maximum points.
Hanford moved out of the promotion places as they were shot out for just 51 as they chased visitors Hem Heath/Forsbrook’s modest 119. Simon Wood smashed 75 for the visitors for whom Ian Aubrey then took 3-11.
Norton-in-Hales won for the first time this season but still remain bottom as they won an exciting local derby with Woore by 19 runs. M Rowley, S Elwell and C Ruscoe all scored well for the home side as they accumulated 201-9 declared. Woore were always in the hunt for victory, but finished just short after a solid knock of 41 from M Razaq.
Eccleshall won a tight game at Wedgwood/Stanfields by one wicket. The home side’s 162 owed much to M Edwards 32 and J Tweats 32 and Ecclehall scraped home by one wicket thanks to J Ecclestone with 47.
Meir Heath/Fenton sneaked past struggling Oakamoor in the division’s other game after dismissing them for just 94. Eddie Plant and Ben Holloway were the pick of the Meir Heath/Fenton bowling attack but M Ayub’s outstanding figures of 7-18 ensured a tense finish. The home side were struggling on 79-9, but a tenth wicket stand of 16 (C Jenkins 30 no) saw Meir Heath/Fenton home.
Anthony Bunn 14.6.09