Battle is on at the top after shock defeat for leaders Clipstone

Anston pulled off the biggest shock of the day by beating leaders Clipstone by 10 runs at Seventh Avenue.

This was another low-scoring encounter with Anston reaching 144-9 in their 50 overs and Amila Perera top-scored with a patient 30.

The two ‘Mr. Reliables’ Jason Gorman (3-29) and Ian Woodall (3-30) once again led from the front, giving Clipstone every chance of another victory.

However, this didn’t work out as they had bargained for and a glut of early wickets saw them in trouble for the first time this season.

Only Lee Wilson (31) made any headway as Amila Perera once again weaved his magic, taking 3-42 and the precociously talented Jack Mason, a winter signing from Harthill, weighed in with 3-23 to bowl out Clipstone for 134.

Of the teams at the top, Farnsfield have without question been the unluckiest with the weather, but it is to their eternal credit that they have held in there and showed what a good side they are.

They entertained North Wheatley with Leverton at Station Lane and this side had made a brilliant start to the season, but whenever these two teams meet, Farnsfield seem to steam roller them with consummate ease and the same thing happened once again.

Right from the start Farnsfield took command and three wickets were down before North Wheatley had reached double figures.

Had it not been for a good fourth wicket stand between Matt Loates (30) and Luke Tong (34) one dreads to think what the score might have been as only these two plus Jamie Sizer reached double figures as North Wheatley were bowled out for 107.

Mark Hallam (5-39) and Toby Trotman (3-36) appeared totally unplayable and North Wheatley’s batsmen seemed to agree wholeheartedly with this theory.

Although they lost four wickets in reaching the target, Farnsfield didn’t look to be in any danger and skipper Curtis Mitchell (46 not out) steered them to victory to close the gap at the top.

Killamarsh managed their first positive result of the season with a winning draw over Kiveton Park. Batting first Killamarsh reached a useful looking 190 all out with Eddie Allcock (34), James Daniel (49) and Richard Crabtree (60) all batting well whilst Richard Spurr (3-39) was once again the lion heart of the Kiveton attack.

While Richard Grainger (42), Rob Coxon (36) and Jordan Cocks (40) all batted well, Kiveton were hanging on at 152-9 when the overs ran out.

Parminder Mudhar (3-34) again showed his class as Killamarsh were just thwarted of an outright win.

Papplewick’s Jim Rhodes (3-30) and Ross Fitz-John (4-31) proved far too good for Notts & Arnold Amateur, who they bowled out for a paltry 99 runs.

Despite a good effort from Jordan Finney (3-19), Mark Nelson (35) eased Papplewick to an outright and much-needed win by five wickets.

Thoresby Colliery took the majority of the points in a winning draw over Caythorpe II at Fourth Avenue.

Batting first Thoresby were well served by Martin Cheshire (42), Australian Chris Bennett (52) and John Skinner (33) out of a total of 188-8 with Geoff Crook bowling superbly to take 5-33.

In reply, only John Kneale (60) made much impression as Caythorpe closed on 141-7 with Mohammed Yasar (3- 34) being Thoresby’s most productive bowler.

Worksop eased to a 70 run win over Glapwell at Central Avenue with Luke Ambrose top-scoring on 49 in an all out total of 182.

Joe Stone bowled superbly for Glapwell to take 6-48 and one must have thought they had quite a chance of victory.

It was not to be, however, as Dave Hancocks (3-23) and Tim Smith jnr. (3-12) bowled Glapwell out for 112 to give Worksop a very comfortable win.