Cuckney go top in another fine double win weekend

They went into the weekend on fire from two Bank Holiday wins that had put them joint top with Cavaliers & Carrington.

And, while they were beating visiting Radcliffe-on-Trent by eight wickets on Saturday, Cavaliers were succumbing to a surprise 49-run home defeat by Clifton Village.

Radcliffe chose to bat and made 195 all out in 45.4 overs, Williams Masojade with 54, Jack Towers with 46 and Joe Richardson with 25.

Nicholas Keast took 4-25 and Drew Owen 3-25.

Keast (65) then shone with the bat as well as he and William Butler (47) put on 109 for the first wicket, Nick Langford (23 not out) and Tom Ullyott (34 not out) polishing off the job as they made 196-2.

“That's back-to-back two win weekends,” smiled Cuckney s assistant captain Richard Bostock.

“Saturday was a really good start as we knew Radcliffe would come hard at us.

“They won the toss, opted to bat and got off to an absolute flier.

“We managed to get a couple of wickets after the drinks break and really slowed them down.

“Then we put in a really solid performance in the knock-off.

“It was a really professional knock-off by the batting that now seem to be in better form going into the latter part of the season.”

The Cavliers defeat put the icing on the cake of a highly successful day.

“That was an exceptional result,” said Bostock.

“We finished pretty early and were looking at their score.

“We saw Cavaliers were five down, then six down. But they bat really deep you never take anything for granted.

“It was a really good turnaround and a little bit of breathing space at the top for a week or so.”

On Sunday Cuckney then pulled off a 97-run victory at Derbyshire County Premier Division side Spondon in the National Club Championship.

This time Keast (33) and Butley (46) put on 65 with 34 for Ullyott, 42 for Codi Yusuf and 63 for Joseph Hayes in a mammoth 285-9 from their 40 overs.

Spondon were all out for 188 in 36 overs, Alistair Dixon with 47, Mitchell Wagstaff with 34, Archie Harrison with 35 and James Hawley taking 3-23.

“We had to make a couple of changes on Sunday,” said Bostock.

“Young Drew Owen, who has come in and bowled really well for us, had to play for Notts U18s and I went out of the side injured.

“But we have a strong squad around the first team.

“It was a delayed start but we played the full overs and the batters were just in real top form – the likes of Nick Keast at the top of the order. He is hitting runs for fun.

“And Joe Hayes in the middle of the order. They are scoring 50s most weeks now.

“It set us up for a really big total and it's always a hard chase in 40 overs national knock-out. Anything over 250 really does seem massive.

“The ground was fast-scoring but you really can't falter when you are chasing a big score like that.”

Cuckney now aim to get as far as they can, Bostock adding: “We made the quarter-finals when we lost to Ockbrook a few years ago which is about three more rounds away, so it's early yet.

“We now play the group final at Sandiacre on 27th June and the more national stages then follow.

In another double game weekend ahead, Cuckney are at home to Caythorpe on Friday in their re-arranged NCB T20 clash (5.45pm)

On Saturday they then head to Wollaton, who lost to Plumtree on Saturday, and Bostock said: “It's not a place we've been for a couple of seasons and it's always a tricky away fixture.

“But the lads are on a bit of form and we will ride the crest of this wave and try to take last weekend into that game and try to keep our top spot.”