The top two sides, Cuckney CC and Cavaliers & Carrington CC, collided in the Owzat Cricket Nottinghamshire Premier League Premier Division on Saturday afternoon, the former edging just four points ahead of the latter, with a three wicket success, and just two games remaining.
The hosts, Cavaliers, would elect to bat first, proceeding to be bowled out for 223, in under 45 overs, opener Muhammad Yasar the only batsman to register a half-century, making 52 before being run out by Nelon Pascal, Nicholas Keast topping the bowling figures with 3-35, taking Shaharyar Aslam, Usman Arshad, and Chris Sanders.
In reply, the leaders’ Ewan Laughton would top score with 74, along with 30+ innings’ from both Joseph Hayes (32) and Nick Langford (31), edging them ahead in the race for the title, one they’ve not won since 2017.
Third placed Papplweick & Linby CC are ten points adrift of Cavs, they winning by seven wickets away to mid-table Plumtree CC, bowling their hosts for 156 before making 158/3 in reply, this despite Saad Ashraf hitting 70 for the hosts.
Chris Glover, 5-31, and Angus Napier, 4-29, were devastating with the ball though, matching each other in the Papplewick attack, whilst with the bat, and for the loss of just three wickets, Louis Bhabra would top-score with 50, and Freddie McCann 46, to reach their target in 30 overs.
Kimberley Institute CC are in fourth, twenty-two points off the leaders, and collected a seven wicket win when away to Radcliffe-on-Trent CC, they having been bowled for 226, Hishaam Khan with 59, and openers Rob Sutton and James Hawley 35 and 34 respectively, Geroge Scottorn taking 4-37 to keep the score down.
Replying, Kimberley made 227/3 in 46 overs thanks to unbeaten innings from both Marton Weightman 91 n/o, and Billy Godleman 80 n/o, Ben Savage’s early wickets, 2-35, affording false hope for the hosts.
Hucknall CC would see off their visitors, Attenborough CC, by four wickets, Attenborough’s Daniel Freeman hitting 94, whilst Sam Johnson’s 58 n/o helped the hosts home, whilst Clifton Village CC won by 53 runs when away to Notts & Arnold CC, lower-order batsman, Paul MacMillan’s 56 top-scoring for Clifton, Johan Cronje with 49 for Notts.
The remaining Premier Division game, this was a low-scoring run-game, of the highest order, Wollaton CC ‘edging’ hosts Gedling & Sherwood CC, by eight wickets.
The hosts would bat fast, being skittled for just 91 in under 31 overs, the visitors reaching their target in under sixteen overs, making 94/2, for the victory, their openers top-scoring, Nicky Kirkwood with 34 and Hassan Azad 33, to ease home.
Division Two’s top two also collided at the weekend as West Brdigfordians CC edged eight clear of Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC, the leaders winning by 85 runs after they posted 244 in 42 overs, Saad Naseem with 94 (from 72), and an unbeaten knock from Divan Swanepoel, 53 n/o (from 35), the hosts being bowled for 159.
Caythorpe CC are four points ahead of Balderton CC and Cavaliers & Carrington 2nds, Caythorpe winning by two wickets at home to Clipstone CC, the visitors’ Warren Scantlebury the games’ top-scorer with 32 n/o; Balderton meanwhile edged visitors Cavs 2nds by a wicket as Shalith Fernando top-scoring with 105 (from 106), and Christopher Dobbie 56 n/o.
The remaining game would see Cuckney 2nds defeat visitors Thoresby Colliery CC by eight wickets, the victors’ trio of William Butler 63 n/o, Charlie Rumistrzewicz 56, and Dan Brown 53 n/o top-scorers for the victors.
Of the remaining fixtures, in the Premier Division, the top two sides of Cuckney CC and Cavaliers & Carrington CC have the following left –
- Cuckney – Plumtree CC (H, 27 August); Papplewick & Linby CC (A, 3 September)
- Cavs – Clifton Village CC (A, 27 August); Kimberley Institute CC (H, 3 September)
Meanwhile, Division Two wraps up this coming Saturday, the top two sides of West Bridgfordians CC and Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC opposing that of –
- West Bridgfordians CC – Welbeck CC (H, 27 August)
- Mansfield Hosiery Mills CC – Cavaliers & Carrington CC 2nds (A, 27 August)
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NottsPrem celebrations for Cuckney who go top of the Premier Division table by four points.
