NOTTS PREMIER LEAGUE REVIEW: unlucky Cuckney robbed by rain in local derby

The weather delayed the start at Langwith Road, reducing the match to 42 overs per side, and after making 230-6, Cuckney had Hosiery Mills 85-6 in reply, with almost 12 overs still remaining. But then the rain clouds opened again and the contest had to be abandoned, leaving the hosts with just 12 points, rather than the maximum 20.

Cuckney were in solid form with the bat from the off as Gareth Purshouse (43) and James Hawley (35) put on 62 for the first wicket. The mainstay, though, was Tom Ullyott, who fired an unbeaten 68 (two sixes and five fours) from 72 balls, putting on 57 with skipper Nick Langford (20) and 56 with Simon Mugava (29, five fours).

In contrast, the Millers were always struggling and slumped to 31-4 against the bowling of Arosh Janoda (3-21) and Lewis Bramley. They were held together only by the defiance of captain Tom New, who finished on 29no (five fours).

Cashing in on Cuckney’s frustration were second-placed Kimberley, who beat West Indian Cavaliers by 43 runs, and third-placed Plumtree, who beat Attenborough by seven wickets.

Kimberley’s ordinary total of 183-8 proved enough at Cavaliers, for whom Bilal Shafayat was left stranded on 65no after four wickets for Alex King and three for Martin Weightman.

Thanks to 4-13 from Sam Wood and 3-18 from Graeme White, Plumtree skittled their hosts for 89, of which opener Byron Hancock made 52, carrying his bat.

Elsewhere, runs were also scarce at Hucknall, who were dismissed for 91 before Notts CCC Academy strolled to a nine-wicket success in the hands of a 67-run stand between Liam Patterson-White (40no) and Louis Kimber.

FRUSTRATED Welbeck fell just three runs short of victory at bottom-of-the-table Caythorpe in the most exciting match of the day in the Notts Premier League.

Instead they had to be content with a losing draw as they finished on 225-5 in reply to 227-8 from the home side, who somehow avoided defeat in a completed fixture for the first time this term.

Welbeck’s reply was an exercise in patience as they scored slowly but kept wickets in hand. Opener Matt Higgins captured the mood, carrying his bat in a 144-ball knock that featured partnerships of 79 for the first wicket with Gurpej Landa (36), 75 with Richard Stroh (37) and 48 for the fourth wicket with Tom Lungley (24).

When only six were needed from the final over, they seemed to have timed it perfectly. But they managed only three and lost two wickets, including the run-out of skipper Jonathan Ball, as Caythorpe bowler Anuj Dal kept his head, leaving Higgins on 92no.

The result left Welbeck third from bottom, 19 points above the hosts, with only Farnsfield squeezed between them after they crashed to a seven-wicket defeat at Radcliffe-on-Trent. Put into bat, the visitors were rolled over for just 113, with only skipper Callum McKenzie (23) and tailender Joe Worrall (23no) threatening any kind of form. Ben Savage took 4-34 for Radcliffe, who shrugged off the loss of three early wickets to ease home in the hands of George Styles (64no) and Rob Sutton (31no).