Championship Division round-up for 21 May

 

Despite being bolstered by the presence of Nick Gaywood, Collegiate 2nds were unable to shake off their disappointing start to the season, though promotion-chasing Aston Hall had to fight hard to avoid an upset. Collegiate won the toss and batted but found survival difficult against Aston Hall’s varied attack. Most batters got in for twenty or more balls but none made more than 19. It says much that Nick Gaywood hung around for 60 balls but could score only 15. Johannes Bothma took 3-14 in eleven overs. Tom Coulson conceded only 27 and Adam Clarke 33, in twelve overs each, as Collegiate were all out for 114 in 48. Aston initially fared little better and were 27-4, with Lewis Bent and Manny Shinwari getting two each, until Lewis Sansome joined Joe Stickland to take the score up to 81. Both fell shortly after, to Ben Fielding, but Tom Moss (26*) and Rob Ward guided their team home for six down. 

 

Sheffield Collegiate 2nds 114 (48.1) Johannes Bothma 3-14 

Aston Hall 115-6 (44.3) Joe Stickland 33 

 

 

Sheryaar Ali was back on form for Barnsley Woolley Miners, making an outstanding 126 in 130 balls, with twelve 4s and five 6s, putting on 127 with Stevie Walters (29) for the 2nd wicket. The middle order struggled to stay with him though and, at 185-7, it looked as though the innings might founder; but Ali wasn’t finished yet and Matthew Clayton was only just starting. The latter belted seven 6s in an unbeaten 80, taking Barnsley to a remarkable 298-8. Green Moor made a positive reply, led in particular by Callum Johnson and Dan Cartwright, but both were out in their 40s to Will Nicholson, and Green Moor subsided to 197-6. 

 

Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds 298-8 (50) Sheryaar Ali 126, Matthew Clayton 80* Jake Rodgers 4-73, Chris Matthewman 3-75 

Green Moor Sports 197-6 (50) Daniel Cartwright 46, Callum Johnson 45, William Nicholson 3-48 

 

 

Shiregreen are certainly back on form and won a hard-fought tussle with Conisbrough, in which 450 runs were shared almost equally. Mustafa Hussain and Hammad Usman gave Shiregreen a solid start, setting the scene for that man Hamzah Younis (49 in 35 balls) to lead a spirited middle order assault on Conisbrough’s later bowlers. 236-7 seemed a good score but Will Scott and Buddhika Sanjeewa set about it, both scoring 50s. At 179-4, Conisbrough were well set, but Imran Khan clean bowled Sanjeewa, followed by two others in close succession, and a run out, so, in the end, with one wicket left, they had to settle for four well-earned bonus points. Amidst it all, Abdul Lateef took 2-11 in 12 overs! 

 

Shiregreen 236-7 (50) Hamzah Younis 49, Hammad Usman 33, Buddhika Sanjeewa 3-55 

Conisbrough 220 9 (24) Will Scott 58, Buddhika Sanjeewa 57, Imran Khan 3-66 

 

 

Another great game was Sprotbrough v Houghton, with only seven runs between the teams. Houghton won the toss and batted. Sadrian Ward cleaned up the first three, but then Luke Ogden, followed by Yousaf Rehman and Dylan Smythe led a recovery which took Houghton to the 150s, only to fall apart as Ashley Langdale and Scott Mantovani tuned up. At 164-9 it seemed all over, but Teriq Worrell and Michael Bates fancied a larger total to bowl at and put on 48 for the last wicket (which never came). It took the initiative away from Sprotbrough who then lost Tom Pepper and Richard Belk cheaply. Sadrian Ward found himself compelled to bring his side back into the game, belting 88 in 63 balls. At 182-8 all results were still on, but Ward was stumped by his namesake, one of six victims for Simon Ward, and after some heroism by the last pair, Sprotbrough were finally all out for 205 – just seven short with three balls to go. 

 

Houghton Main 212-9 (50) Yousaf Rehman 41, Luke Ogden 38, Teriq Worrell 38, Dylan Smythe 35, Ashley Langdale 4-62, Sadrian Ward 3-40 

Sprotbrough 205 (49.3) Sadrian Ward 88, Dylan Smythe 3-48 

 

 

A much anticipated contest between two of the strongest sides in the Championship didn’t quite live up to expectations, but certainly had its moments. Wath set off strongly, reaching 114-2 before Rob Barlow was caught behind for 49 off Harman Puni (the first of 6-22 in ten overs). Ainsley Swallow fell soon after for 31, and the remainder were hoovered up by Puni, with only the last pair having much of a partnership. 168 didn’t seem enough, though Wath is a big ground. An opening stand of 99, with Nick Dymock stroking 55 in 57 balls and Alex Hughes 30, settled the contest, but not before a flurry of wickets by Sam Whitlam created some uncertainty, which was quelled by Rob Basu and Joe Cooper putting on 33 without further loss. Hallam thus retained their lead but have yet to play the four sides immediately behind them. They have beaten Houghton in the Whitworth Cup but next week they play their Saturday league side away, which may prove to be a sterner test. 

 

Wath 168 (46.3) Rob Barlow 49, Ainsley Swallow 31, Harman Puni 6-22 

Hallam 170-5 (47) Nick Dymock 55, Rob Basu 35*, Alex Hughes 30, Sam Whitlam 3-25 

 

 

Wickersley moved up to third in the table, just ten points behind Aston Hall and well positioned for a move to regain their Premier status next year. They beat Rockingham on Saturday after a steady team batting performance took them to 201. Five batters scored twenty or more but only Gareth Purshouse went on to 40. Mark Cummins and Nathan Taylor gave them a good start after winning the toss at Northfield Lane. However Matthew Cox induced a slump, taking four of his six wickets and reducing Wickersley to 98-6. Gareth Purshouse was then joined by Liam Heathcote to put on 49 for the seventh wicket, followed by Harvey Wootton, with whom he added a further 47. When Rockingham batted, Jack Riley (30) engineered a good start but from 47-1, they crashed to 105 all out, as Ahmad Bashir took 5-19 in just under ten overs, leaving Rockingham on 16 points with Sheffield Collegiate 2nds, holding everyone else up. 

 

Wickersley Old Village 201 (48.4) Gareth Purshouse 40, Harvey Wooton 31, Matthew Cox 6-32 

Rockingham Colliery 105 (35.5) Jack Riley 30, Ahmad Bashir 5-19 

 

 

Full scorecards