Cuckney title hopes are all but over after defeat at leaders Cavaliers & Carrington

Cuckney are third and now trail Cavaliers by 24 points – the equivalent of three wins while hoping Cavaliers slip up three times with only six games to go of the season ahead of Saturday's home clash with bottom club Radcliffe-on-Trent.

Cuckney won a trophy treble last summer and vice captain Tom Ullyott said: “We are disappointed to say the least and the league looks a bit of a pipe dream at the moment.

“But you never know and we won't rule it out. We will go into every game trying to win them, but we obviously have a hell of a lot of work to do given we are so late in the season now.

“Kimberley have still got to play Cavaliers and they could both slip up elsewhere too.

“To have the year we had last year was incredible and a lot of the players won't forget that in a hurry.

“Once you win stuff you are there on a pedestal, put up there by other teams as well as yourself, and teams want to knock you off that.

“We have just not been at it if we're being honest with ourselves.

“We have just not quite got ourselves over the line in those pinch point moments.

“Maybe we have let our guard down or relaxed a bit because of how mentally and emotionally draining last year was and where it left us? And you do need a bit of luck here and there. But that's no excuse”

Cuckney won the toss and decided to bat, finishing on 222-9 after their 50 overs.

Nick Langford (65) and Adam Tillcock (67) rescued a precarious situation after they had been 24-3, the pair combining for a 116-run fourth wicket partnership.

Tillcock's innings included eight fours and two sixes while Langford struck six fours and a six.

Ewan Laughton also added a useful late 22, Ankesh Dansucial finishing with 4-48 from 10 overs for the home side.

Cavaliers then raced to 223-5 in just 37.4 overs.

Opener Viken Kedariya was in imperious form with 113 and captain Adeel Shafique scored 48, the pair sharing a 119-run second wicket partnership.

Joel Gunn took 3-52 in his 10 overs for Cuckney.

“It didn't happen and hasn't done for much of the season,” said Ullyott.

“We have lost far too many games and it's not even August yet. It was the same tale on Saturday.

“We got 222 on a perfect, brand new wicket which we thought was okay, though losing early wickets didn't help us again.

“They knocked it off very comfortably and, if I am being honest, the scoreline probably flattered us as the game was pretty much over when they were only one wicket down.”

He added: “Any side would like a period of dominance. Look at teams like Manchester City – they retain titles, though it's never easy.

“We'd have loved to have still been in the running for everything.

“But we have won the Notts T20, and we are still on course to retain the Derbyshire Cup, so we have added to our trophy haul - the only one we didn't get last year - which is pleasing.

“We can't be too disappointed as you can't win everything all the time.

“We now have the T20 Regional Finals this weekend at Doncaster Town. If we win that we go to the National Area Semi-Finals at Denby.

“So we still have plenty to play for.”