Championship Division round-up - 4 September

 

The soughing of the waves was not the only sound of relief that could be heard on Saturday in Cleethorpes. On the third ball of the last over at Houghton Main, last man Matthew Owen hit a four that took his team back to the Premier League and very probably made them league champions. Had he been out, there would have been just two points separating the top three teams and the season would have gone to the last game. It’s hard though not to feel for Houghton, who have played with great determination and possibly fallen at the last hurdle in both the National Village Cup and in the Championship. They still have a chance though. If they win next week and Whiston lose to Cleethorpes, they could yet go up. 

 

On Saturday, Houghton were reined in by Cleethorpes’ overseas, Sameera Sadamal (4-44) and Alex Osmond (3-48). Four batsmen got to 20, but only Danish Hussain progressed to 38, and none went beyond. They were 82-5 before Hussain got going, with three 4s and four 6s. He put on 50 with Imran Khan, but the innings closed on 166 all out. Things were so similar for Cleethorpes when they batted - their top score was 41 (Sadamal) and five others got to double figures but couldn’t progress much further. Dylan Smythe took 5-36 as they lost wickets regularly. They were 119-6, 141-7, 144-8. Then Lee Charlton connected to hit some 4s, but he was caught behind with two still needed and the stage was set for Matthew Owen to be awarded the Freedom of Cleethorpes, for his third highest score this season (in one shot). 

 

Houghton M 166 (49.2) Danish Hussain 38, Alex Osmond 3-48, Sameera Sadamal 4-44 

Cleethorpes 169-9 (49.3) Sameera Sadamaal 41, Declan Smythe 5-36 

 

 

Whiston have marmalised oppositions all season, then unaccountably fallen short – and that’s just what they did on Saturday, when they really needed the win. Conisbrough’s season has been just the reverse, but this was one of their better days. Skipper Joe Farmer and Matthew Lowe put on 80 for the first wicket and Farmer went on to make an unbeaten 71, batting through the innings, watching three ducks at the other end, and enjoying a further partnership of 42 with Buddhika Sanjeewa who made 25. Nobody else made double figures but Whiston obliged with 33 extras and Scott Lowe stuck around with his captain at the end to put on 36 together and take the score to 182-6 (three of which were taken by Harry Paver). Whiston have scored over 250 five times at home (including two over 300) and when they’ve batted second, have regularly won by eight or nine wickets. When they were 90-2, it seemed to be going the same way, but then things started going wrong. Aamir Jamal was caught and bowled by Hassan Bin Shahab first ball! Joe Norbury made 41 but shortly after he was out, the score became 101-6. Gareth Davis likes to play a backstop role sometimes and this was one. Coming in no 8, he put on 32 with Lewis Pike, but was run out for 18 and with Pike falling for 23, seven runs later, it was soon all over. 153 all out, with Shahab taking 3-47 and Matthew Lowe having the remarkable figures of 15-5-27-3 - at Church Fields, against Whiston! - who now have to beat Cleethorpes next week or hope that Houghton lose to Rockingham - otherwise their season will crumble. 

 

Conisbrough 182-6 (50) Mathew Lowe 41, Joe Farmer 71*, Harry Paver 3-44 

Whiston PC 153 (43.4) Joe Norbury 41, Mathew Lowe 3-27, Hasan Bin Shahab 3-47 

 

 

Collegiate bowled Oughtibridge out for 120, despite a fine 42 from Hedar Rasool. Matt Tyas took 4-28 in fifteen and Tate Miller 3-25 in eight. 16-year old Miller has now taken 81 wickets this year in all cricket, 22 in 7 games for the 2nd XI, and 4-11 against Doncaster Town in the only 1st XI game he’s been selected for. You’d think he might get a few more opportunities next year! Collegiate got themselves in trouble in their reply. Muhammad Asim Khan, Sam Patel and Inderdip Singh took eight wickets between them and it needed 35 from Matt Tyas and a partnership of 24 at the end between Andy Simpson (26*) and Oliver Tyas (10*) to get them over the line. Collegiate stay fourth and Oughtibridge twelveth, though the difference didn’t seem so great in this match. 

 

Oughtibridge WM 120 (44.5) Hedar Rasool 42, Matt Tyas 4-28, Tate Miller 3-25 

Sheffield C 2 123-8 (40.3) Matt Tyas 35, Muhammad Asim Khan 3-32, Sam Patel 3-59 

 

 

It was a fairly similar game at Rockingham. Warmsworth were all out for 88, with only Liam Marshall (30 in 56 balls) and Kelvin Defty (22 in 75) putting up significant resistance to Hamzar Younis (4-24) and Richard Skipworth (3-14). However, when Rockingham batted, Limar Pierce returned the compliment with 6-46 in ten, and had it not been for Tony Munyonga’s 26 and a crucial partnership of 21 between Jawad Akhtar and Andy Baker at the end, Rockingham might well have lost. As it was they stuttered home with 89-7. Rockingham stay fifth and Warmsworth remain in trouble, still needing a win from their last game against Barnsley to be sure of staying up. 

 

Warmsworth 88 (32.2) Liam Marshall 30, Hamzah Younis 4-24, Richard Skipworth 3-14 

Rockingham C 89-7 (20.1) Limar Pierce 6-46 

 

 

Aston Hall had the better of a spirited game against Sprotbrough, who picked up two important points towards their survival, but could have done with twelve. Aston batted first and relied on several players – Joe Stickland, Mainak Ray and Johannes Bothma – getting scores of twenty plus alongside an outstanding unbeaten 69 from Josh Coulson, who came in in the 16th over and batted through, to reach 196-9. Michael Threapleton was equally outstanding for Sprotbrough with 3-30 from 15 overs. Sprotbrough started well in pursuit. Tom Pepper (39) and Gordon Thomson (26) put on 51 for the first wicket. Dean Williamson (22) and Daniel Wright (24) carried on and just before Williamson was out, they were 113-2 with every hope of reaching their target. Joe Stickland changed all that with a remarkable 7-33 in 14 overs, but Tom Kaye (27*) still did his best to maintain the chase until it ran out of steam and time on 170-8. Aston Hall stay sixth, still with hopes of catching Rockingham, and, if they are to stay up, Sprotbrough must beat Collegiate 2nd at home next week or get more points than Barnsley, if they and Barnsley both lose. 

 

Aston Hall 196-9 (50) Joe Stickland 34, Josh Coulson 69*, Michael Threapleton 3-30, Gordon Thomson 3-61 

Sprotbrough 170-8 (50) Thomas Pepper 39, Joe Stickland 7-33 

 

 

There’s a certain symmetry about Wath’s season. They won most of their games in the middle of the season and have lost most of those at the start and the end. On Saturday the scorecard against Barnsley Woolley 2nds reads as though the only ones to turn up for Wath were Rob Barlow and Jory Bannister, but it clearly wasn’t as simple as that. Wath made 162-9, of which Barlow made 87 and Bannister 28 not out. Only one other player made double figures. Steve Honeyman and Jay Smith took three wickets each and Lewis Lomax bowled 13 overs for 30. Wath were not all out though and clearly others supported Barlow and Bannister in partnerships. It was just disappointing that numbers 2-4, Harrison Knowles, Bradley Williams and Ainsley Swallow, made three between them, because they’ve done so well at other times. Barnsley really needed a win. Like Whiston, they have a bad disciplinary record and will be docked twelve points as a consequence either this season or next – so a win was essential to help them stay up. The result was the most determined batting performance of the season – 165-1 to win in 42.5 overs – and it was hard fought. None of the main Wath bowlers went for much more than three an over. It was just that Nathan Swift (73*) who batted through, and Zak Jahangir (55*) were determined not to give up their wicket in the way that the team have been doing for much of the season. It was a remarkable performance and leaves them with a good chance of staying up, if they play equally well against Warmsworth next week – but both clubs need to win, so it will be interesting to see who manages the tension best – Barnsley on this showing! Wath meanwhile remain eighth. 

 

Wath 162-9 (50) Rob Barlow 87, Steven Honeyman 3-45, Jay Smith 3-43 

Barnsley WM 2 164-1 (42.3) Nathan Swift 73*, Zak Jahangir 55*