NPL round-up: Cuckney back on the march, fellow strugglers Farnsfield beat Ordsall Bridon, Kimberley hold leaders

After their recent run of four straight defeats, Cuckney have now chalked up two wins in a row and are back up to fifth in the NCB Premier League.

Their latest win came in the North Notts derby at the expense of Welbeck on Saturday.

Luke Thomas (57) teamed with Will Butler to provide the centrepiece of the innings, a 120 stand for the third wicket.

Welbeck were able to chip away with regular wickets, but Butler remained, finally departing as the seventh wicket to fall having made a fine century, his 117 coming off 108 balls and Cuckney closing on 295-9, Jonathan Ball leading the resistance with 5-64.

Welbeck never looked like chasing the total down, and with Ian Parkin’s 5-25 leading the bowling, were all out for just 122 inside 38 overs.

Nottinghamshire Academy were able to take advantage and move above Welbeck with a win at Attenborough.

Despite choosing to bat, the home side were always struggling and found themselves restricted to 180-9 from their 50 overs.

Martin Shoemaker’s 33 was the top score as Adam Tillcock took 4-36 and Ben Kitt 3-53.

At 35-2, Attenborough may have felt they had the Academy in trouble, but Tom Keast (46) joined Anuj Dal in a stand of 86 to steady the ship, Dal going on to make 59 as Notts took a six-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.

That result saw Attenborough drop into the bottom two after Farnsfield beat Ordsall Bridon by 37 runs.

After being asked to bat first by their guests, Farnsfield had Sam Routledge’s 45 to thank for getting them to 145 all out in the 50th over, Asad Ali taking 5-40 to do the damage for Bridon.

In reply, only Sufian Munir (31) could put up any resistance as once again the Ordsall batting melted away, the last five wickets falling for just 12 runs.

Jamie Wagstaff took the bowling honours for the day with 6-36 as Bridon were dismissed for 108, lifting Farnsfield to 10th, one point ahead of Attenborough, but 19 behind Radcliffe.

Plumtree saw their lead at the top shrink to four points after escaping with a draw at home to Kimberley Institute.

The visitors won the toss and, batting first, posted 242-6. Shaun Levy (44) and Tom Rowe (49) shared a stand of 69 for the second wicket, whilst Dominic Brown top-scored with an unbeaten 55, leading an unbroken stand of 62 with Alex King.

Matt Milnes’ 3-74 was the best of the home bowling.

Some tight early bowling had Plumtree behind the asking rate as partnerships started but failed to flourish.

Ben Storey’s 49 was the top score, Hassan Azad added 34 and Bobby Gamble 33, but Plumtree closed 30 runs short at 212- 7.

Chris Glover took 4-62 as Kimberley secured a result the lifted them into second in the table, four points behind Plumtree.

West Indian Cavaliers remain third, despite seeing their four-game winning streak brought to a crashing halt by Clifton Village.

The visitors won the toss and chose to bat, the Richards, Harrison and Harris putting together a 100-run opening stand before Harrison fell for 39.

Harris went on to top-score with 81 while Peter Vladev compiled a not out score of 44, Clifton closing on 224-6, as Corey Collymore (3-55) claimed more victims.

With Martin Weightman (4-44) claiming three early scalps, the Cavs’ reply was soon in trouble, only 33 from Aaron Thomas marshalling them to 103-6.

Dominic Williamson led the rearguard with 64 at a run a ball pace, but ran out of partners as Adam Shepherd (3-50) cut off the tail. Aitizaz Khan took 3-41 in the middle of the innings to keep the pressure on.

Caythorpe sit level on points with the Cavs in 4th, 13 behind Plumtree after their mini slump stretched another game, losing away to Radcliffe-on-Trent.

Once more the visiting side won the toss and batted first. Caythorpe had to thank a 79-run stand between Mat Dowman (60) and Martyn Dobson for forming the backbone of their under par 183-9, David Lucas taking 5-9, backed up by Jordan Harbottle’s 3-28 to restrict the away side.

Despite being 6-2, then 47-3, there was little doubt about Radcliffe’s third straight home win, Rob Sutton adding 57 with Dan Mason for the third wicket and the match-clinching 83-run stand with Lucas (46 not out).

Sutton finished not out on 89 as Radcliffe won with 15 balls to spare, James Hemmings’ 3-56 proving the bright spot for the visitors.

RESULTS

At The Strand: ATTENBOROUGH (3) 180-9 (M. Shoemaker 33; A. Tillcock 4-36, B. Kitt 3-53) lost to NOTTS ACADEMY (20) 182-4 (A. Dal 59, T. Keast 46) by six wickets.

At Langwith Road: CUCKNEY (20) 295-9 (W. Butler 117, L. Thomas 57; Jonathan Ball 5-64) beat WELBECK (4) 122 (I. Parkin 5-25) by 173 runs.

At Station Lane: FARNSFIELD (20) 145 (S Routledge 45; A Ali 5-40) beat ORDSALL BRIDON (4) 108 (S Munir 31; J Wagstaff 6-36) by 37 runs.

At Plumtree: KIMBERLEY INSTITUTE (17) 242-6 (D. Brown 55*, T. Rowe 49, S. Levy 44; M. Milnes 3-74) drew with PLUMTREE (7) 212-7 (B. Storey 49; C. Glover 4-62).

At Radcliffe: CAYTHORPE (3) 183-9 (M. Dowman 60; D. Lucas 5-29, J. Harbottle 3-28) lost to RADCLIFFE-ON-TRENT (20) 187-4 (R. Sutton 89*, D. Lucas 46*; J. Hemmings 3-56) by six wickets.

At Birchover Park: CLIFTON VILLAGE (20) 224-6 (R. Harris 81, P. Vladev 44*; C. Colleymore 3-55) beat WEST INDIAN CAVALIERS (4) 194 (D. Williamson 64; M. Weightman 4-44, A. Shepherd 3-50) by 30 runs.

SATURDAY’S FIXTURES

Nottinghamshire Cricket Board Academy v Welbeck, Kimberley Institute v Attenborough, Clifton Village v Farnsfield, Caythorpe v West Indian Cavaliers, Cuckney v Radcliffe-on-Trent, Ordsall Bridon v Plumtree.