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Premier Division Review 22nd August 2009
Little Stoke remain on top of the league and still have a healthy lead of fourteen points, but it is Longton who have now emerged as their closest challengers with just 3 games of the season remaining.
The league leaders were beaten at home by struggling reigning champions Moddershall in a game swung by a superb unbeaten century from Moddershall opening batsman Chris Beech. Beech’s 104 not out from just 133deliveries, contained 18 boundaries and two huge sixes as he single-handedly ensured that Little Stoke’s total of 157 (Jon Hancock 33, George Cairns 48) was never going to be enough.
Matt Stupples continued his good form with the ball for Scott Oliver’s side, taking 6-50 to still leave Little Stoke with a useful gap between themselves and second placed Longton.
Longton’s win at home to Porthill put a huge dent in the visitor’s title aspirations and puts Pete Wilshaw’s side two points ahead of third placed Knypersley.
Dave Ferris (43) and Simon Cork (42 not out) both made solid contributions in Porthill’s 189-7 innings closed, but Roger Sillence and Tom Birks both made half-centuries for the home side, and Dave Edwards’ struck an unbeaten 34 as Longton ran out five wicket victors, despite Mark Bengry’s three wickets.
Longton will fancy their chances of gaining further ground next weekend as they host relegation-threatened Leycett, whilst the top two play each other.
In an exciting match at Trentham Lakes, Hem Heath did their survival chances the world of good after a narrow one wicket win over Knypersley. Kim Barnett’s 73 was the backbone of the visitors 185-4 declared, and he received useful support from Staffordshire skipper Paul Goodwin (32 not out.
Mo Hussain was once again the pick of the home attack and he backed-up his three wickets with a rapid 30. At 99-2 and with Hussain and John Cheadle in great nick a home win looked odds-on, but once Cheadle was dismissed for an excellent half century, Rob James made in-roads into the Hem Heath batting, but Darren Sanders hit the winning run for Double H in spite of James’ excellent figures of 6-64.
Knypersley visit leaders Little Stoke next weekend in what could be the all-important game which decides which direction the 2009 Premier League title is heading.
Hem Heath are now 26 points ahead of second bottom Leycett who were bowled out for just 79 at home to Burslem, for whom opening bowler Abu Jamil had the outstanding return of 7-21 from 14.4 overs. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Chris Roberts’ 30 ensured that Burslem won by four wickets in an early finish.
But Ian Boulton’s men are still three points ahead of Leek who were comprehensively beaten at home by a Wood Lane side still in with a sniff of title glory.
Only Richard Cooper (27) and Dan Ball (32) put up any meaningful resistance as A Zaidi’s six wickets saw Leek crawl to 145-9 from their 60 overs. It was nevergoing to be enough, as in reply Matt Burgess and Richard Hassall’s partnership of 79 for the second wicket saw the away side home by seven wickets in just 37.1 overs.
Stone have had an excellent second half to the season, and they won their mid-table battle at Audley, who are just about safe from the relegation scrap.
Stone’s mammoth 243-4 declared was built around solid contributions from James Dawson (45), Qaiser Abass (64), Luke Cheadle (42 not out) and Dave Pashley (59 not out). Despite a hard-hitting 65from Andy Joynson, Audley fell 47 runs short thanks to four wickets apiece from Russ Ballard and James Mccreadie.
DIVISION 1A Review 22nd August 2009
Barlaston are in the box seat to make a swift return to the top division after Ramzan Mohammed’s superb all-round performance was the difference between them and a Norton side who had to win this game to have a serious chance of gaining a top-two spot.
At 38-5 Barlaston’s innings looked to be in tatters, but Barlaston professional Niroshan Bandaratilleke’s 50 and Mohammed’s unbeaten 33 ensured that the visitors posted a useful total of 164-9 from their 60 overs. Greg Willott was once more in superb form for Norton, claiming 6-36 and he also struck an excellent half century but it was to no avail as Mohammed’s 4-41 ensured a maximum 25 points for Barlaston.
Neil Davies’ side now need just 21 points from their remaining three fixtures to ensure promotion, whilst Norton will surely look back fondly on an excellent season back in Division One.
Whitmore still have an outside chance of gaining a second successive promotion as they won by three wickets at Blythe. Once again, Whitmore professional Irfan Fazil was in good form for the visitors, taking 4-83. Nilantha Cooray’s 74 ensured the home side had a useful target to bowl at, but Andy Whitehead’s 38 gave excellent back-up to Rob Hagan’s unbeaten half century as the visitors won by three wickets.
Whitmore have two very winnable matches before they head to Barlaston for their last match of the season.
Whitmore are now thirty points behind Elworth who were involved in a high scoring draw away at Stafford.
Seasoned campaigner’s Dave Palin and Jim Higgins were once again in great form format Buckley’s men. Palin struck a superb unbeaten 120 (14 boundaries and two sixes) and received good support from Chris Regan’s 59 not out as the visitors declared on 227-4.
Higgins was then once again in the wickets for Elworth, but his 5-91 was not enough to secure a precious victory for Elworth, as Dave Foster’s fluent 65 saw Stafford close on 206-9 in a tense finish. Elworth have a testing game at home to a Norton side who will be keen to return back to winning ways next week.
It’s getting tight at the bottom of the table as Stafford edged further away from the relegation places thanks to Kidsgrove and Crewe’s draw in the Sentinels match of the day. But Meir Heath’s miserable season continued and they are now just 13 points ahead of Kidsgrove after a confidence-sapping 98 run loss at Rode Park.
Joe Woodward was the sole Meir Heath player to offer any meaningful resistance on a poor day for the visitors. His 3-47 restricted Rode Park to 183-9 declared (Steve Liburd 46) and he was then the only Meir Heath player to reach double figures with an unbeaten 36, as Ian Harding’s 4-31 shot-out the visitors for just 85 in 26 overs.
Meir Heath face Stafford next week in what will be a crucial relegation battle. In the division’s remaining game Sandyford won by five wickets at Cheadle in the division’s highest-scoring match.
DIVISION 2A Review 22nd August 2009
Betley sent out a clear message to the rest of the Division that they mena business by hammering in-form Checkley yesterday by eight wickets.
They now lead the table by 14 points and have a 33 point buffer between themselves and third placed Ashcombe. Paul Bellfield (4-34) and Neil Harrison (3-14) were the chief destroyers as Betley reduced the home side to 118, and then Jamie Jervis (55 not out) and Chris Henderson (49 not out) ensured that there would be no hiccups in knocking the required run rate off.
Oulton are in second placeafter easily winning at Caverswall. Harish Patel’s superb season continues as the veteran all-rounder claimed 6-37 to reduce Carsa to 147 al out (Owen Price 66). Staurt Harvey’s solid 39 led the way for Patel’s men who are a useful 19 points in front of Ashcombe who were left hanging on for the draw at Silverdale.
Mitchell Stokes was once again the dominant figure for Silverdale as he hit 46 and took 4-53 as Ashcombe were reduced to 132-9 in reply to the home side’s 162 (A Gondal 5-57).
Weston lost thechanceto make up ground on the leaders as they weresu[prisingly beaten by bottom club Stone/SP. Steve Leach hit a superb ton for Stone/SP as the visitors rattled up 237 (Q Haleem 6-63, Mike Holt 4-73) and this was 14 to many for Weston despite an unbeaten 83 from Raj Kumar/ Andy Slee’s five wicket haul swung the game the visitors’ way and gives them an outsidechanceof staying up especially as Newcastle and Bignall End could only draw.
In a tense game, Simon and Andy Howle scored well for the home side in their 175-7, and Simon followed this up with 4-30 as Newcastle were hanging on for the draw at 164-9at the close of play.
Alsager were once again in the runs but had to settle for a draw away at Meakins. Paul Pickford’s superb century was backed up by solid knocks from Paul Hampshire and Paul Tibbets, despiteRhanil Dhamikka’s four wicket hail for Meakins.
Dhamikka followed this up with an unbeaten 87 as the home side closed on 210-7 which leaves both sides in mid-table.
DIVISION 3A Review 22nd August 2009
The top three sides all won and it’s two from these three as to who will be promoted in three weeks time. Bagnall and Wedgwood/Stanfields meet in two weeks time which will be a key game in deciding the promotion places.
Moddershall meanwhile hammered home side Eccleshall by 162 runs to have a lead at the top of 6 points. Dave Housley’s unbeaten century and 51from Upal Idrasiri saw the visitors declare on 254-6, and then the Modd bowlers tore through the home side’s batting line-up to dismiss them for just 92.
Wedgwood/Stanfields had an easy win over a depleted Endon side at home. Opening bowlers Richie Jervis and Gareth Lello were both in dominant form again, taking all ten wickets as Endon could only muster 73. The match only lasted 44 overs as the home side cantered to victory for the loss of just three wickets.
Imran Khalid was once again the hero for a Bagnall side that won’t lie down as they won by three wickets at inconsistent Hanford. Khalid took 4-75 and Alex Ravenscroft 5-40 as they dismissed Hanford for 163.
Khalid then struck a half century and once again received great support from Ravenscroft(43 not out) as the visitors triumphed despite A Forrester’s 4-29.
Norton-in-Hales are now 21 points from safety as they were outplayed by visiting Oakamoor. Jon Wood struck 68 to enable him to declare on 202-7 and then professional M Ayub took 5-14 to give the away side an easy 128 run victory.
Meir Heath/Fenton won their game at home to Hem Heath/Forsbrook by 31 runs with Chris Mellor’s six wickets being key in the victory along with a half century from Damien Taylor. Simon Wood had a good all-round match for the visitors with 4 wickets and 37 with the bat.
In the division’s remaining game, Porthill and Woore drew at Scot Hay.
Anthony Bunn 23rd August 2009