Title-chasing Cuckney lose Indian star but keep up the pressure at the top
Cuckney ran up a big 123-run victory at Hucknall on Saturday as they kept up the pressure on leaders Cavaliers & Carrington at the top of the Nottinghamshire Premier League.
But Cavaliers won again, beating Notts & Arnold Amateur by 91 runs, and stay 16 runs clear with only five games to go.
And Cuckney have now lost their key overseas player Yuvraj Singh, who returned home to India after the game.
Hucknall have had a poor home record this summer and Cuckney rubbed that in on Saturday with a dominant display.
Asked to bat first, Cuckney scored 221, bowled out with three deliveries to go.
Captain Adam Tillcock again produced the goods with 47 with Nick Langford scoring 45 not out and Nick Keast 31.
Tillocock and Langford put on a vital 55 for the fifth wicket with Hucknall's Jake Wright ending with 5-53 off his 9.3 overs.
It looked like a score that would see a close game. But instead Hucknall crumbled to 98 all out in 28 overs.
Opener Ryan Buckley top-scored with 19, but the innings belonged to Tillcock as he took 4-16 in just four overs and also helped dispose of home captain Sam Johnson with a run out.
“Being fresh off their Notts T20 win we knew it would be a challenge at Hucknall,” said Cuckney vice captain Tom Ullyott.
“But we felt we had made a pretty good score on what was quite a tacky wicket.
“With all due respect they were never really in it. Taking five early wickets just kills off the opposition.
“Sadly it was our overseas player, Yuvraj Singh's last game for us.
“He flew home to Delhi on Sunday afternoon. He has been picked to play in a feeder league to the IPL – good on him and all the best to him.
“We will miss him for these last few weeks no doubt.
“He has been a brilliant acquisition for us. I know we don't have any trophies to show for it, but he has been very good.
“We would hope to get him back next year or at some point.
“We were delighted to win again and keep doing what we have got to do and hope for a favour or a few favours elsewhere.”
With no game scheduled, Welbeck could only look on in dismay as an 85-run away win for Papplewick & Linby hauled them off bottom spot and dumped Welbeck back down there, albeit with a game in hand.
This Saturday Cuckney host Welbeck in a vital local derby for both clubs.
In Division Two, Cuckney seconds lost by 53 runs at home to Clifton Village.
Clifton chose to bat and made 231-8, Ben Fraser with 71, Luke Gunn 60 not out and Zehn Rana with 51, Mark Langford taking 3-53.
Cuckney's reply fell short at 178 all out as Suman Shrestha claimed 4-28 and Fraser 3-35, Dan Brown top-scoring with 41, Richard Bostock adding 31.
In the Bassetlaw & District League Championship division, struggling Clumber Park lost by five wickets at home to Retford.
Asked to bat, Clumber made 219-8, David Beard with 51, Matthew Beer 47 and Glyn M Coxhill 42, Jon Hays taking 4-21.
Retford reached 220-4 in 41 overs, openers Ethan Shevill (65) and John Laking (72) putting on 77.
In Division One, Worksop came away from Grassmoor Works with a 56-run victory
The visitors made 211-7, Ashley Langdale scoring 53, Aaron Armitage 51 not out and Freddie Valente 42, David Spendlove claiming 4-38.
Grassmoor were then bowled out for 155, Langdale taking 5-30 from nine overs.