MANSFIELD LEAGUE ROUND-UP: chasing trio close gap on leaders

Leaders Eckington maintain a healthy 14-point lead at the top of the Mansfield and District Sunday League's Premier Section, even though they didn't play in the latest round of matches.

However, the gap was closed by the other three sides in the title race -- Grassmoor, Hucknall and Cuckney -- all of whom enjoyed a successful day.

Grassmoor licked Farnsfield by nine wickets thanks largely to a fine all-round performance by Chris Fletcher, who scored a half-century and took three wickets. Hucknall’s Robin Maxwell plundered a century to help his side to a winning draw in a run-packed match against Anston, while Cuckney piled up the runs to thump bottom-of-the-table Teversal.

In Section One, Parkhead top the table by 39 points after a surprise defeat for second-placed Handsworth WMC.

PREMIER SECTION

HUCKNALL (17) 278-3 (Robin Maxwell 109) drew with ANSTON (7) 232-8 (Callum McKenzie 49, Robin Maxwell 3-53).

WELBECK (20) 133 (Marchant 43, Roach 32) beat ASHOVER (4) 88 (Marchant 5-18, Ainger 3-9) by 45 runs.

CUCKNEY (20) 243-7 (Adam Burgess 79, Trent Lawford 39, Will Butler 49) beat TEVERSAL (5) 154 (Oglesby 74, Cheetham 3-42) by 89 runs.

FARNSFIELD (0) 102 (Callum Mckenzie 51, Adam Bedford 3-17, Chris Fletcher 3-25) lost to GRASSMOOR (20) 103-1 (Chris Fletcher 59no) by nine wickets.

SECTION ONE

HANDSWORTH WMC (7) 212-5 (Dean Williamson 99, Choudhury 69, Dan Connolly 3-48) lost to SOUTH WINGFIELD (20) 214-8 (Charlie Parker 101no, Liam Mitchell 44, Ashley Langdale 3-54) by two wickets.

THORESBY COLLIERY (16) 187-8 (Mitch English 81, Tom Newcombe 3-38, Tom Dallison 3-18) drew with KIRKBY PORTLAND (9) 183-6 (Connor Severn 75).

UNDERWOOD (4) 233-5 (Ben Brown 59, Holmes 79no, Michael Booth 3-57) lost to MANSFIELD HOSIERY MILLS (20) 234-2 (Samarasoorya 142no, Matt New 63no) by eight wickets.

SECTION TWO

SOUTH NORMANTON (6) 185-9 lost to MANSFIELD CC (20) 189-6 by four wickets.

PAPPLEWICK AND LINBY (20) 253-4 (Gareth Blinkhorn 70no, Daniel Blatherwick 58, Ross Fitz John 32) beat KIRKBY PORTLAND II (1) 48 (Johnathan Thrower 5-22) by 205 runs.

WELBECK 2ND (2) 158-7 (Simon Harper 46, Ryan Sharpe 2-12) lost to HOLLINSEND (20) 159-2 (Richard Wadsworth 96, Ben Hattersley 32no) by eight wickets.