Championship Division round-up - 7 August

 

Not the ideal game for Sprotbrough to begin their battle to retain Championship status, against the league-leaders in imperious form, but there were several encouraging signs. Sprotbrough’s top four batsmen may not have succeeded – they were 49-4 after 19.1 overs – but the middle order showed plenty of fight. Daniel Wright (34), Gordon Thomson (25), Ben Lyons (30) and Tom Kaye (28*) did their best to turn the game around, taking the total to a competitive 168-8. They even kept Sameera Sadamal wicketless over 15 overs. Against the clubs they really need to beat, that sort of team performance will bring rewards. Against Cleethorpes, it scarcely made an impact. James Osmond (32), Callum Carter (65*) and Sameera Sadamal (62*) moved serenely to the winning total in 35 overs, with just the one wicket for Ashley Langdale. Cleethorpes have now won 13 out of 17 games, but with five to go, and the last two against Houghton Main and Whiston, there’s still some hard work to do before they can begin celebrating their promotion back to the Premier Division. 

 

Sprotbrough 168-8 (50) Daniel Wright 34, Ben Lyons 30 

Cleethorpes 161-1 (35) James Osmond 32, Callum Carter 65*, Sameera Sadamal 62* 

 

 

Collegiate’s young guns bowled out Conisbrough for 144, with Mansoor Shinwari taking 5-37; but it could have been even fewer, because Conisbrough were 80-6 and needed a determined innings of 35 not out from Scott Lowe to give them a total to bowl at. Josh White (52) and Robbie McKenna (28) set Collegiate off on the right path with a third wicket stand of 73, but the last 36 runs proved a struggle and it needed the experience of Andy Simpson at the end to get them over the line, with eight wickets down. Buddhika Sanjeewa took 3-43 and Matt Lowe chipped in with 2-8 in five overs. Collegiate remain fourth, though some way short of Houghton. Conisbrough are not safe yet but their four well-earned bowling points will not have done any harm. 

 

Conisbrough 144 (46) Scott Lowe 35*, Mansoor Shinwari 5-37 

Sheffield C 2 145-8 (40.2) Joshua White 52, Buddhika Sanjeewa 3-43 

 

 

Houghton Main are still in touch with the leaders, only eight points behind Whiston, but each game is a battle. On Saturday they made 191 all out, mainly due to a powerful innings of 90 from Brent Law (with 17 fours) and an opening stand of 93 between him and Michael Brown (31). Law was out second, with the score on 140, after which things fell apart, with Sam Patel and Inderdip Singh taking three wickets each, gaining two overs for Oughtibridge. Those overs would have been useful if Oughtibridge had been able to hold out. Their middle order of Hamzah Ilyas (29), Ashley Naseby (46) and Hedar Rasool (33) took them to 144-4, but with just 48 to win, it all became too difficult, especially against Dylan Smythe who took 4-25 in eight overs and unravelled the chase. Oughtibridge ended 17 runs and two overs short on 174 all out, picking up four batting points but still 16 from safety.at the bottom of the table. 

 

Houghton M 191 (47.4) Michael Brown 31, Brent Law 90, Sam Patel 3-58, Inderdip Singh 3-53 

Oughtibridge WM 174 (49.5) Ashley Naseby 46, Hedar Rasool 33, Dylan Smythe 4-25 

 

 

Bang in the middle of the table, Rockingham swapped places with Aston Hall and are now sixth. A solid 47 opening stand by Harry Grindle (26) and Ben Dalton was followed up by two important innings from Tony Munyonga (46) and Hamzah Younis (40). Rob Ward (5-24) and Adam Clarke (3-47) prevented much further damage for Aston Hall, but they couldn’t close it, as the last pair of Jawad Akhtar (21) and Richard Skipworth put on 22 frustrating runs. An injury to keeper Nathan Ward made things even more difficult. Mark Barnard started brightly for Aston, but when he was out for 40 with the score on 59-2, there was no-one to restore the initiative and the innings subsided to 106 all out (with Ward unable to bat). Ryan Mann took 5-32 and Richard Skipworth 2-17 in nine. 

 

Rockingham C 193-9 (50) Tony Munyonga 46, Hamzah Younis 40, Rob Ward 5-24, Adam Clarke 3-47 

Aston Hall 106 (31.2) Mark Barnard 40, Ryan Mann 5-32 

 

 

Lewis Brown, Warmsworth’s captain, played a major role in a crucial victory which gives his team some breathing space at wrong end of the table. When he went in to bat, his side were 64-6, with Jack Whitlam having taken half the wickets for Wath. With Kevin Pearson (27), Brown put on 67 of which his share was 47, with 4 fours and 3 sixes, and his team ended with 153. He and Limar Pierce then took six wickets between them, reducing Wath from 94-4 to 133 all out. Wath have played really well for weeks, taking them to fifth in the table, but on Saturday seven of the first nine batsmen batted for 27 balls or more without going forward to an innings that could swing the game in their favour. The highest was Jory Bannister with 24. Warmsworth are now 18 points ahead of Sprotbrough and heading in the right direction. 

 

Warmsworth 153 (49.2) Lewis Brown 47, Jack Whitlam 3-23 

Wath 133 (47.3) Lewis Brown 3-42, Limar Pierce 3-28 

 

 

When Cleethorpes played Barnsley early in the season it was a different story – Barnsley were all out for 85 but won the game, bowling Cleethorpes out for 67. Maybe they thought they could do the same to Whiston. So Barnsley, batting first, were all out for 55. Only Haider Jahangir and William Chapman showed much resistance. Aamir Jamal took 6-19, Joe Norbury 3-23. Could they do the same to Whiston? No – just the one wicket as Andy Tomlinson and Danny Kemp got the runs required in 7.3 overs. Not much more to say, except that Whiston stay second, 14 points behind Cleethorpes, and Barnsley remain two points ahead of Sprotbrough and the relegation zone. 

 

Barnsley WM 2 55 (29.3) Aamir Jamal 6-19, Joe Norbury 3-23 

Whiston PC 56-1 (7.3)