Worksop lose third game in a row and captain Harry Taylor to injury

Isaac Bailey has to stretch for this Milton delivery.

A four wicket defeat by Milton CC, Notts took the visitors to the top of the table while Worksop sit in fourth spot, which should be enough for promotion, but teams below them have games in hand and are closing in.

Worksop captain Harry Johnson said: “I will be out for at least another two weeks with a broken finger so I could only sit and watch.

“Oliver Titterington was captain on the day and I think he did a good job.

“I think they just outplayed us on the day and we were a bit short with the batting again.

“The wicket was pretty flat and I think we could have done a better job early on.

“Ross Wicks batted very well again and he is in some good form.

"It's just a case of the guys in the top five converting any start they get into big scores.

“I don't think we bowled at our best, which is easy to say from the sidelines, but they batted pretty well.

"They are a strong team and where they are in the league shows that as well.

“But again taking the one win from the two games against Milton at the start of the season we'd have taken your hand off.”

Asked to bat after losing the toss, Worksop made 148-9, Ross Wicks top-scoring with 29, Benjamin Swales adding 23 and Aaron Armitage 19 not out, Adam Mendham taking 3-32.

In reply, opener Dylan Hildreth led the way with an unbeaten 40, Tim Smith Jnr ending with figures of 3-30 as Milton made a winning 149-6 off 34.4 overs.

However, Taylor was still optimistic about getting back to winning ways and said: “It is a very winnable game against Everton on Saturday.

“Tim Smith should be taking over the captaincy and I have full faith in him bringing home the 20 points.”

Whitwell, who beat Worksop the week before, are second after a 97-run victory at Kiveton Park Colliery while third-placed Papplewick & Linby seconds did not play.

In the other games, Clumber Park won by 63 runs at Everton, Simon Bingham with 78 for Clumber, Harthill won by 134 runs at Farnsfield II thanks to an unbeaten 134 from Dom Cumming, and Retford beat Blidworth Colliery at home by 90 runs.