Club record opening stand boosts Clumber Park in win over Thoresby Park

Captain Mark Dean said: We played proper cricket today out on the field, and it was really hard work.

“Hopefully that will sharpen us up ready for our game against unbeaten, title favourites Blidworth next week. It’ll be a good test for us.”

The sun was shining, the track looked like a road and the outfield was like glass, so both sides were desperate to bat first. Luckily, Clumber won the toss and racked up the runs.

Dave Taylor and Matt Wheatley didn’t give the home side a sniff as they built a superb platform. Matt (63) was the first to fall with the score on 153, believed to be a club record opening partnership.

Taylor continued with some glorious shots and looked destined for a deserved ton.

However, tragedy struck when he feathered one behind on 99.

Chris Mather (29), Zak Berridge (28), Dan Fotheringham (20), James Davies (10) and Ben Perkins (9no) kept the runs flowing as Clumber closed on a massive 290-6.

With the quick outfield and virtually no assistance from the pitch for the bowlers, Clumber knew bowling would be far harder work than in recent weeks.

Zak Berridge (0-29) and Ben Perkins (0-22) started nicely but a couple of very difficult chances early on were spilled which meant both went wicketless.

Dan Fotheringham (1-33) came on and eventually got the breakthrough on 41, after two more dropped chances off his bowling.

Lee Rodgers (1-25) joined him from the other end and got one soon after leaving the hosts 47-2.

The next Thoresby partnership consisted of two hard-hitting batsmen that got their eyes in and the run rate up.

It didn’t go Clumber’s way in the field for a good period of the innings, as Thoresby’s Ben Marson (56) and Jack Waring (71) both reached half-centuries.

With the hosts at 100-2 and going at a decent rate, Mark Dean came on and turned the game on its head by bowling a great spell of 4-30 from nine overs.

Despite nice, probing spells from Hayden Cox and Simon Dean, Clumber couldn’t get Thoresby any more as they closed on 199-6.

Third-placed Worksop's hopes of closing the gap on Bassetlaw Championship leaders Bawtry with Everton were shot down by a seven wicket defeat on Saturday.

Worksop won the toss and batted but were all out for 155 in 46 overs.

Openers Jake Hogan (27) and Chris Taylor (32) gave them a solid start with an opening partnership of 65.

Alex Kirkham also added an important 25 while Joseph Colley claimed 3-27 and Sean Harrison 2-38, both off 10 overs each.

Bawtry reached their target at 156-3 in 26.4 overs and already have a 36-point lead at the top.

Opening bat Tom Haslam was their rock with 71 not out and Sam Haslam added 30, the pair putting on 98 for the third wicket.

Harry Taylor took 2-19 off 5.4 overs.

This Saturday Worksop are at home to North Wheatley with Leverton.