More twists in the NPL tale as Cuckney wobble

At Langwith Road, leaders Cuckney played host to an inconsistent Kimberley Institute side that have found themselves locked into eighth place in recent weeks.

The Bears, with revenge in mind after Kimberley took the spoils when these sides last met, elected to bat after winning the toss, but found themselves in trouble at 93-7.

A wag of the tail lifted them to 150 all out in the 50th over.

Several batsmen got a start, but none made a telling contribution as Christopher Glover claimed 4-30 and Alex King 3-36.

The Kimberley reply was quickly in disarray as, led by Lewis Bramley, the Cuckney attack set about defending their total.

Bramley took 4-29 as the Institute were reduced to 75-7.

But Alex King made a patient unbeaten 30 as he marshalled the tail and led the visitors to a draw, Cuckney taking 14 points and Kimberley six.

Plumtree began the day second in the table and travelled to the NCB Academy ground at Lady Bay, looking to keep the pressure on the leaders.

After winning the toss, Academy skipper Paul Franks chose to have a bat - a decision that looked a poor one as they slumped to 36-4.

This brought Anuj Dal and Brett Hutton together in a stand of 157, Hutton making 76 and Dal 75.

A flurry of late wickets went down as the Academy chased late runs before closing their innings on 218-8.

Plumtree’s reply got off to a poor start, only Matthew Wood (31) providing any resistance as they crumbled to 76-7.

Ben Storey began to stiffen the lower order batting on his way to 54, combining with Muhammad Usman (39) in a stand of 61, but it was to no avail as the Plums were dismissed in the 47th over for 208, Ben Kitt, with 4-50, and Adam Tillcock, with 3-72, leading the way for the bowlers.

At Clifton, Clifton Village took full advantage of the slips by those above them, with a convincing victory over Welbeck Colliery.

The Villagers won the toss and elected to bat, sliding to 21-2 before handing the game over to Richard Harris (88) and Martin Weightman, Weightman making exactly 100 in their stand of 186. The final tally of 258-4 was always going to be challenging, but the regular fall of wickets made it nigh on impossible.

Only a 50 stand between Raman Sharma and Jonathon Ball (37) threatened any resistance. It was all over after 38 overs, with the Colliers 153 all out.

Dominic Harvey’s 5-42 led the bowling, backed up by Adam Shepherd, with 3-31.

Rolls Royce Leisure began the day in fourth, hosting Radcliffe-on-Trent in what would turn out to be a thriller.

Rolls won the toss and, after putting the Trentsiders in to bat, saw them reduced to 94-6.

David Lucas combined with Eddie Torr in an 80-run stand for the seventh wicket, before Torr fell for 44.

Lucas was ninth out for a fine 51 and the innings closed in the last over with Radcliffe all out for 234. Tom Lungley was the top bowler, claiming 3-68.

The Rolls reply got off to a slow start before a 73 stand between Gurpej Landa and Dan Birch (44) got them back into the mix.

Landa added a further 92 with Tom Lungley (41) to take the score to 209-5.

As overs began to run out, wickets fell more regularly as the target of 235 got closer.

It would, however, prove a ball too far away, as a nervy last over ended with Rolls 233-8, and Landa stranded on 99 not out. Radcliffe took home 17 points, and Rolls 10.

There was another squeaker at Birchover Park where the West Indian Cavaliers asked visiting Mansfield Hosiery Mills to bat first.

Gareth Curtis and Tom New put on 146 for the second wicket, Curtis going for 71, New falling shortly after for 60.

Keshara Jayasinghe made 32 as wickets continued to fall around him, nine being lost for the addition of 51 runs as the Millers closed on 200 all out with two balls remaining, Ricaldo Anderson, with 5-33, and Akhil Patel’s 3- 68 doing the damage.

The Cavs’ reply made a rocky start at 54-3 before Bilal Shafayat and Paldip Sidhi teamed to add 72 for the fourth wicket.

When Sidhu fell for 61, it was 150-6, it became 160-8 and 191-9 as Prabhdip Sidhu did just enough with the tail to finish 31 not out and see the Cavs home with three balls to spare.

Matt New, with 5-53, and Kyle Garside, with 4-37, did their best for MHM, but the final wicket proved elusive.

It was an altogether different story at Ordsall Bridon where Caythorpe were the visitors.

Eerily the game mirrored the first meeting between the two sides as Bridon won the toss and batted. The opening pair made a solid start, reaching 44, but as soon as the first wicket fell, the wheels feel off.

Ben Powell (3-27) and debutant Sam Trotman (4-26) led the carnage as the innings ended after 29 overs with Bridon 118 all out.

Caythorpe made short work of the chase, needing just 18 overs either side of a tea break to reach the target, James Hawley making 68 and Martyn Dobson 41, as they cruised home by 10 wickets, the two matches between the sides having totalled 100 of the possible 200 overs.