Kimberley Institute CC are through to the National Cup Quarter Finals after a five wicket victory over Porthill Park Cricket Club of Newcastle-under-Lyme on Sunday. The hosts scored 243/7 in their innings with the visitors reaching that score with five wickets in hand, Sam Wood scoring 74 with Martin Weightman hitting 69 and Jack Nightingale 50. Matt Wright decent with the ball taking 3 for 44.
Back in the league, leaders Cavaliers & Carrington CC, by 35 runs at Hucknall CC, and second place Cuckney CC, by nine runs at Attenborough CC, both dropped to defeat at the weekend, so the focus was on the chasing pack as to who can take advantage, with defending champions, Kimberley Institute CC collecting a big, 175 run success against visitors Notts & Arnold CC, to close the gap on second to just two points.
It is proving an interesting battle atop of the Owzat Cricket Nottinghamshire Premier League Premier Division, with Saturday’s matches proving just that as Cuckney fell to defeat when away to Attenborough CC, the hosts posting 224/7 with openers Savin Perera 70 and Ben Shaw 50, the big hitters for the eventual victors.
Meanwhile, in response, Nick Langford’s 76 was in vain with his Cuckney side being bowled out for 215, Attenborough’s bowlers Daniel Freeman, 3-34, and Lewis Caine, 5-53, impressing with the ball, to collect the points, it was a win that benefitted the defending champions.
Kimberley, hosting Notts & Arnold CC before their victory over Porthill Park in the National Cup on Sunday, posted 302/7 when en-route to their 100+ run success, Billy Godleman with a knock of 116 (from 130), along with Alex King 50, and Martin Weightman 41 helping the tally; replying, Notts could only muster 127 runs, in 32.3 overs, before being skittled.
Josh Mierkalns would top-score for the visitors with 48, however, six of his teammates would fail to make double figures, that being double to some impressive bowling by Jack Nightingale, 3-14, and Alex King, 3-28, being just as able with ball as he was with the bat.
Papplewick & Linby CC remain in the hunt after they collected a 105 run success away to Wollaton CC, this despite being bowled for just 217, Brent Williams with a chunk of the runs, hitting 116 (from 114) with the hosts’ Paul McMahon, 4-36, and Simon Walton, 3-43, taking the wickets.
Replying though, Wollaton would quickly find themselves bowled out for just 112, none of their batsmen passing thirty as Christopher Glover helped himself to an impressive 4-15.
Fifth-placed Hucknall CC would be the ones to inflict defeat on the leaders, knocking off Cavs by 35 runs, their 271/8 tally featuring half centuries from Richard Greatorex and George Blatherwick, with 52 apiece, the latter of the two with an unbeaten knock; Imran Butt would knock 88 for Cavs in reply but they’d find themselves all out for 236 in reply, Blatherwick taking 4-61 with the bal.
The other two games in the top division saw Radcliffe-on-Trent CC win by 52 runs away to Clifton Village CC, and Plumtree CC knocked off their hosts Gedling & Sherwood CC by 135 runs.
In Division Two, just four points currently separate the top five sides with Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC and West Bridgfordians CC leading the way on 60 points apiece, followed by Balderton CC (58), and both Cavaliers & Carrington 2nd CC and Welbeck CC on 56.
Hosiery Mills saw off hosts Cuckney 2nd by three wickets to keep their noses in front, Cuckney posting 286 all out, Harry Bircumshaw hitting 110 (from 118), the visitors replying with a knock of 288/7 as Mark Smallwood’s 137 n/o saw them home.
Joint leaders West Bridgfordians, they’d lose by 47 runs when home to Collingham & District CC whilst Balderton CC won big away to Clipstone CC, by 143 runs, racking up 306/7 as Christopher Dobbie hot 132 n/o, and Shalith Fernando 101, prior to dismissing their hosts for just 163 as opener Adam Dutton top scored with 54, Tom Shepherd and Ryan Charlesworth doing considerable damge with the ball however, 5-40, and 4-48, respectively.
Cavs 2nd lost by two wickets at home to Caythorpe CC; and Welbeck CC defeated their hosts, Thoresby Colliery CC, by four wickets as Thomas Antcliffe’s 70 n/o saw them fall short, to complete the set.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NottsPrem It was a good weekend for Kimberley Institute with wins in league & cup.
