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PREMIER DIVISION REVIEW 29th AUGUST 2009
With two games to go it looks like a two-horse race at the top of the league and a three-team battle to avoid the drop at the other end.
Little Stoke did everything but beat rivals Knypersley but had to settle for a winning draw as Longton hammered Leycett to become their closest rivals for the title. At Knypersley, Richard Harvey (52) and John Hancock (42) ensured that d espitre Andy Marshall’s 4-34, the visitors reached a competetive total of 178-8 in their 60 overs.
In reply, Knypersely limped to just 89-7 from their 48 overs with Dan Colclough once again amongst the wickets.
Longton smashed visiting Leycett by nine wickets after all their bowlers were amongst the wickets as the Leycett line-up crumbled to a meagre 81 all out. Pete Wilshaw was a man in a hurry as he smashed an unbeaten half-century to ensure the game only lasted 49 overs in total.
Little Stoke are now five points clear of Longton with Knype now 21 points off Gareth Morris’ men.
At the bottom, Leycett’s hammering opened the door for Moddershall, Leek and Hem Heath, but all three lost and Leycett remain with a fighting chance of avoiding the drop. Leek’s Colin Dearden would have been disappointed that his side lost after he took 7-43 to restrict home side Stone to 152-9. But Qisaer Abbas and Russ Ballard spun a web that could spell relegation for Jamie Cullerton’s side who stumbled to 131 all out and are now eight points behind Moddershall who lost a close game at home to an improving Burslem side.
Harish Reddy’s 61 and N Khan’s unbeaten 73 saw Scott Oliver declare on 185-4, and despite in-form Chris Beech taking three wickets, solid knocks from Michael Brown and Alex Bailey saw Burslem home by just tow wickets.
Hem Heath lost easily at Wood Lane, but are 27 points clear of the relegation dogfight which should be enough to see them safe. Brian Sims (36) and Andy Palmer (46) saw Hem Heath total 158, but despite Mo Hussain’s 3-51, half-centuries from A Zaidi and Dan Brierley saw Wood Lane easily home by seven wicket s.
In the division’s other game Porthill and Audley drew in an uninspiring end-of-season game with both teams in mid-table. Richard Holloway and Shaun Price both smashed half-centuries for Audley as they ammassed 226-6, but Porthill were never in the hunt and ended up on 116-6.
DIVISION 1A REVIEW 29th AUGUST 2009
Barlaston need 1 point to be mathematically sure of a quick return to the top flight as they are now 50 points ahead of third placed Whitmore. Neil Davies’ side superb season continued as they beat Cheadle off the last ball at home.
Hamza Siddique’s half-century was the highlight of Cheadle’s 201-8 declared with Mark Stanyer taking superb figures of 8-53. Solid contributions throughout the Barlaston batting line-up ensured that they crept home by three wickets. Those 20 points means that the champagne corks will be popped as soon as they reach 75 or take two wickets next Saturday.
Elworth lost to Norton which has given Whitmore a glimmer of hope of catching them up. Whitmore are now 21 points behind the Cheshire-based club, who were had Phil Dutton (71) and Ian Reynolds (6-43) to mainly thank for their comfortable 4 wicket victory.
Whitmore will look to exciting professional Irfan Fazil to come up trumps again in the last fortnight of the season, just as he did this weekend with a devastating spell of new-ball bowling to virtually condemn Crewe to relegation.
Justin Mould and Rob Hagan both scored half-centuries for Whitmore and then Fazil wreaked havoc amongst the Crewe batting line-up, taking 7-26 as Crewe were hustled out for just 82, giving the visitors an 83 run victory.
Kidsgrove gave themselves a big chance of avoiding the drop after they won their local derby against Sandyford by five wickets, with Dave Leese amongst the runs for Grove. They are now level on 162 points with Meir heath who lost by 37 runs to Stafford, a result which all but assures Stafford will be staying up this season.
Stafford’s 158 owed much to Dave Foster’s 46, and Sean Connolly continued his excellent season with 4-31 as the visitors triumphed to put them 29 points above the drop zone.
Rode Park are a team who are in good form and they easily beat a Blythe side who have struggled in recent weeks. Nilantha Cooray’s 63 was the backbone of Blythe’s 195 (Adam Taylor 4-23) but despite Pete Finch taking all five wickets, unbeaten half-centuries from Steve Liburd and Paul Chadwick saw Rode Park home.
DIVISION 2A REVIEW 29th AUGUST 2009
Betley virtually confirmed their promotion by beating rivals Ashcombe Park by six wickets at home. The visitors posted a useful 207-9 with Steve Proffitt top-scoring with 61, but Rich Bebbington and Chris Henderson both struck excellent half-centuries as Betley won at a canter and are now 29 points clear of third-placed Weston.
Oulton also look good for promotion with professional Pradeep Jeypragastharan scoring a match-winning unbeaten ton to see his team to a five wicket victory over a Bignall End side who look likely to be two divisions apart from their hosts next season. Simon Howle was once again in good all-round form for the visitors, but his side are now ten points behind third bottom Newcastle who also lost.
Weston are 15 points behind Oulton and hammered Silverdale to keep themselves in the promotion hunt. Raj Kumar, Phil Stockton and Qas Haleem all starred once again for Weston, with Mitchell Stokes taking a handful of wickets for Silverdale in what has been a superb second half of the season for him.
Visitors Meakins reached 187, mainly thanks to Pira Ponnudrai’s 37 and Simon Baker’s excellent 69. Matt Redican and Ranil Dhamikka were both amongst the wickets for Meakins as they cruised to a 66 run victory.
Stone/SP look doomed and are now 43 points from safety after they narrowly lost at home to caverswall. Despite Sean Bowers’ 50, the home side could only muster 146, with Marlon Martin taking four wickets. Stefan Barker’s 37 then saw his side home to a two wicket success and mid-table safety.
Alsager have had a good season and beat visitors Checkley by four wickets off the last ball of the match. John Pickles smashed 105 for Checkley to enable his side to reach 194. Simon Dyer’s half-century enabled his side to have a sniff of victory, and Mo Arshad late cut the last ball of the game for a boundary to win the game for his side.
DIVISION 3A REVIEW 29th AUGUST 2009
It’s amazingly tight at the top and bottom of the league, with Bagnall, Moddershall and Wedgwood being joined by Oakamoor’s late burst for a promotion slot.
Bagnall went back to the top of the league after destroying local rivals Endon at home, with Imran Khalid (150 not out and five wickets) winning the game almost single-handed in a 113 run success. John Powell’s half-century against his former side was in vain for the visitors.
Moddershall and Wedgwood/Stanfields both came a cropper and this means that the three teams at the top are split by only 6 points with Bagnall and Wedgwood facing each other in a virtual winner-takes-all battle next week.
Wedgwood lost by three wickets at Eccleshall whilst Moddershall A were hammered by Porthill A at home with Matthew Webster (6-25) and S Zaroof (4-10) taking all ten wickets as Modd were rolled-out for just 71.
There was an amazing game at Woore as the home side gave local rivals Norton-in-Hales a relegation-beating tonic by being bowled out for the amazingly low score of just 21 in 18.4 overs, after the visitors declared on 167-6 earlier. N Bloor (6-12) and C Ruscoe (3-8) both had remarkable figures in a game that now leaves Woore at the bottom of the league, 1 point behind their opponents.
Oakamoor have given themselves an outside chance of gaining promotion after a 93 run hammering of Meir Heath/Fenton, in which Martin Wolff took 5-9 to shoot-out the visitors for just 61.
Hanford and Hem Heath/Forsbrook were involved in a low-scoring game that only lasted 37 overs and leaves both in mid-table. Hem Heath/Forsbrook must have thought the worse when they were bowled out for 72. But this was more than adequate as Hanford then fell 34 runs short on 38 all out!
Anthony Bunn 30th August 2009