Rain ends hopes of second place for Kimberley Institute

With second-placed Cuckney's game and third-placed Kimberley's games both being abandoned and all sides given two points, Kimberley can now no longer bridge the gap.

“It was frustrating but the rain wiped out pretty much the whole programme,” said Kimberley campatin Alex King.

“We had a decent opportunity, but in the end it was out of our hands.”

Visiting Collingham & District were put into bat and scored 270-7 from their 50 overs.

At one stage they were 133-6, Pranav Pothula run out on 60, but late knocks of 73 not out by Rhys Bridgens and 60 not out, off 38 balls with four sixes, by Ravi Tarwood-Paintal saw them put on 123 for the eighth wicket and set a more imposing total.

Rain saw Kimberley set a revised target of 123 from 18 overs and Akhil Patel was 27 not out and George Bacon nine not out with the score on 38-0 when the heavens opened again and the match was abandoned.

“Collingham batted quite well to get to 270 – but it was a really good wicket and we would have backed ourselves to chase that down,”said King.

Kimberley complete their NPL season at home to Hucknall on Saturday and King added: “A win on Saturday would secure us third place.

“We have been second or third pretty much all season so it would be a real shame to slip up now. A good win on Saturday would give us momentum going into next season as well as the Dan Sutton Trophy semi-final against Cuckney the weekend after.”

Put into bat at Attenborough, Cuckney hit an imposing 292-6 in their 50 overs on Saturday, opener Eliot Callis with a fine 101, including 11 fours, while captain Adam Tillcock produced another swashbuckling innings of 118 in 115 balls, smashing 15 fours and three sixes.

The home side's reply was cut short by the rain after just five overs with Attenborough on 21-0 but Kimberley’s abandonment confirmed Cuckney as runners-up with just one game to go and a 14-point gap between the clubs.