The Owzat Nottinghamshire Premier League was finally back yesterday after a longer than expected layoff this summer with the first round of games of the 2020 season completed which included all twelve teams in action.

There were big wins for Cavaliers & Carrington and Cuckney in particular, whilst Kimberley Institute racked up the biggest score of the day in their win over Hucknall.

This season the Premier League has been split into two divisions of 40 over cricket with six teams in the North facing each other and six teams in the South playing home and away with the top two in each group going on to a semi-final and final which is to be played in September.

In the North, Cuckney beat Mansfield Hosiery by 81 runs with Nicholas Keast (64) and James Hawley (92) providing an opening partnership of 139 as they finished their innings on 234-5. In return Mark Smallwood scored a half century but Mansfield were bowled out for 153 with three wickets for Keast topping a good day for the all-rounder.

At the 2bm Ground, Kimberley Institute hit 236 as Dominic Brown finished 63 not out with Dane Straw the pick of the Hucknall bowlers with 3-52. In return Hucknall finished 34 runs short despite Sam Wood hitting 71 from 59 balls. Dominic Brown doing just as good with the ball as with the bat as he took three wickets for just 34 runs in his 7 overs.

Finally in the North Division, Papplewick & Linby beat Caythorpe by 93 runs as Notts loanee Luke Fletcher hit 76 of the home sides 195 runs. In return Caythorpe were bowled out for just 102 with Christopher Glover taking 3 for 25. Fletcher stating after the match “I loved it, it’s something I wanted to do come back here and play, which hasn’t been possible playing all three formats for Notts but it’s really good to be back”.

In the South Division, Cavaliers and Carrington gave Attenborough a real thumping at the Strand. Cavs finished 223-6 from their forty overs with Shivinsh Thakor (64) and Adam Tillcock (61) dominant with the bat. With the ball Cavs were equally as dominant bowling the home side out for just 68 with Tauseef Kataria taking 3 wickets for just 11 runs.

At Plumtree Wollaton beat their hosts by 55 runs. Nicky Kirkwood hitting 70 from 61 balls as Albert Carter (3-19) and Ben Compton (3-40) did their best to keep the visitors to 172 from 40 overs. In return however the hosts hit just 117 with Wollaton’s Sam Humphries taking five for 21 in eight brilliant overs.

Finally at Radcliffe-on-Trent, Clifton Village scored 156 with Adam Shepherd 51 not out but the hosts comfortably saw off that target in less than 32 overs finishing with six wickets in hand as Joe Richardson (42 not out) and Jacob Deavin-Baker (31 not out) saw the home side home.

Oh how good it is to have club cricket back.

*Main image @cuckneycc Tom Keast in bat for the home side during their win.