Cuckney keep up the title chase as season goes into second half

The visitors chose to bat and were all out for 198 in 48.1 overs.

At 40-4 and 93-5 they were struggling badly but Rafay Ahmed struck a defiant 121, including 13 fours and a six.

Joe Worrall ended with figures of 4-35 in 9.1 overs.

Cuckney reached 200-4 in 41.3 overs, Tom Ullyott (71) and Eliot Callis (65) sharing in a 125 second wicket stand that set them firmly on course, Yuvrak Singh ending up 27 not out.

Cavaliers also won so the gap between the top two remains just two points.

“We lost the toss on a new wicket so thought we might be in for a bit of a long day in the field,” said Cuckney vice-captain Tom Ullyott.

“But we took some early wickets with the new ball and getting their top four batters out early really helped.

“Ahmed batted really nicely for his 121, but I don't think they had any other scores over 25 so it wasn't too damaging and we felt 199 was very gettable on that kind of surface.

“We did lose an early wicket, but we rebuilt and in the end it was fairly comfortable on a decent track.”

Bottom side Welbeck were sunk by 90 runs at Notts & Arnold Amateur.

The home side compiled a score of 237-9 in their 50 overs after winning the toss.

Josh Mierkalns struck 50, Gurman Heran 42, Zahid Mansoor 32 and Arnav Jumie 26 while Mat Roberts took 4-61.

In reply, Welbeck wickets fell with regularity as they faltered on 96-7 and were eventually dismissed for 147 in 40.1 overs.

Head coach Richard Stroh scored 45 but found partners hard to retain.

Dulina Mudalige 4-39 and Sam Kaye 3-24 took the bulk of the wickets.

“We didn't bowl or field very well,” said Stroh.

“I think over the last six to eight weeks we have only let the opposition score over 200 once, so we knew this would be an uphill task on a very tricky wicket.

“Then it was not a great batting performance from us either – we just weren't at the races,

“It's not great when you are bottom of the table and we need to find a winning formula really quickly.

“The second half of the season is going to have to be a really strong one for us.”

This Saturday Welbeck head for Hucknall and Cuckney are away at Notts & Arnold Amateur.

Cuckney seconds went down by four wickets away at West Bridgfordians.

Choosing to bat,Cuckney were all out for 142 in 45.3 overs.

Adam Burgess was their cornerstone with 68 and Ben Savage took 4-19 in 8.3 overs.

Bridgford reached 143-6 in 37.3 overs, Shah Meeran Zia unbeaten on 37.

In the Bassetlaw & District League Championship, bottom side Clumber Park went down by six wickets at North Wheatley with Leverton.

Clumber elected to bat but found themselves bowled out for 124 in 40.5 overs.

Tim Shelley scored 28, but wickets fell regularly and at one stage they were 66-6.

Henry Paterson claimed 3-21 from six overs and Thomas Waterfield took a fine three wickets for one run off five balls to finish things off.

North Wheatley lost early wickets and were 42-3, but Jonny Loates steadied them with an unbeaten 63 as they eased home in 18.3 overs.

In Division One, Worksop won by 31 runs at home to Gainsborough.

They struggled for runs and were 71-6 before Ross Wicks hit a superb 76 off 79 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes, sharing in a seventh wicket stand of 75 with Benjamin Swales as they ended on 160.

It proved enough as the visitors tumbled to 129 all out.

Openers Christian Rodriguez (27) and Ben Smith (44) gave them a decent 53-run opening stand.

But seven of the other batsmen only managed nine runs between them as Saeed Ahmed set about them with 5-18 off his nine overs.