Clumber Park hit new heights in top of table clash against Milton

Milton arrived second in the league and had won the clubs' previous three encounters, so Clumber knew it would be a sterner test than they had encountered in recent weeks.

Clumber won the toss on a magnificent wicket and elected to bat first.

Dave Taylor and Matt Wheatley got them off to a steady start against the new ball. Wheatley (16) was first to go, shortly followed by Taylor (22) to leave Clumber 52-2.

But they had given the side a vital platform and, after a watchful start, both Dave Beard and Chris Mather began to get on top of the bowling as the pair racked up a 142 run partnership.

The park rained fours and sixes as first Mather then Beard notched their half century.

Mather was first to fall for a marvellous 80 and Beard fell near the end for a sublime 65, eventually closing on 221-6.

So far this season Clumber had been good in patches but not really pieced a complete performance together. That changed on Saturday as they were as excellent in the field and with the ball as with the bat.

Dan Fotheringham (1-12) and Zak Berridge (0-21) both bowled their best spells of the season, but had very little reward for their efforts.

Milton made them work hard in the early stages and it wasn’t until the 18th over Clumber got the breakthrough when Hayden Cox got their second wicket to put Milton 47-2.

From here on in, it became the Ben Perkins show as he blew away the Milton line up with sensational figures of 6-14 in five overs.

At the other end, Hayden finished with 3-24 as Milton succumbed to 81 all out and made it five wins out of five for Clumber.