Championship Division round-up for 9 July

It was a day of carnage for some of the promotion hopefuls, but Aston Hall push even further forward, untrammelled by the bodies falling behind and, it’s official, despite winning on Saturday, Green Moor can no longer overtake the league leaders, who need only one point to avoid being relegated, should they happen to lose all their remaining nine games on the trot! 

 

 

Aston Hall can do no wrong. All the top eight batters made scores, their team really gelling well together, as so often this season. Ali Ahmed and Mark Barnard started it off with 50 for the first wicket. Nasir Omar then struck 72 in 67 balls, taking the total to 189-5, before Josh Coulson (51) and Lewis Sansome (44) moved it on to 289-9, the last 89 coming in nine overs. Hassan Bin Shahab took five wickets and Buddhika Sanjeewa three, but neither will be especially proud of the runs they conceded. Conisbrough needed a good start to ground the chase, but Bothma and Tom Coulson prevented that. Hamzah Ilyas made a sound 49, but when he was out at 97-5, the contest was largely over. Josh Coulson removed the last three in five overs but the damage had been done by Adam Clarke, all by himself, bowling two and catching and bowling two more, making 4-43 in 14 overs. So Conisbrough’s hopes of moving upwards from the middle remain stalled, while Aston Hall sail serenely on, 22 points clear of any others. 

 

Aston Hall 289-9 (50) Nasir Omar 72, Josh Coulson 51, Lewis Sansome 44, Mark Barnard 39, Hassan Bib Shahab 5-77, 

Buddhika Sanjeewa 3-97 

Conisbrough 150 (46.1) Hamzah Ilyas 49, Adam Clarke 4-43, Josh Coulson 3-28 

 

 

Sprotbrough were rescued by a match-winning partnership of 162 for the third wicket, after Waqas Tanveer, dipping down from the Barnsley first team, had ripped out two quick wickets. Tom Pepper made 71 and Sadrian Ward 87; both came together within a few balls and were out within a few balls of each other at 165-5 but Sprotbrough fortunately had William Rudkin and Tom Kaye, helped by a large number of extras (including 15 penalty runs) to get them to 254 all out in 47 overs. Jordan Slattery took the last four wickets for 45. Andrew Clayton took three (including the two top scorers) for 33. Barnsley started much better with an opening partnership of 67 by Nathan Swift and Freddie Chapman, but struggled to maintain the momentum during a great spell by Scott Mantovani which reduced them to 134-5. While Stevie Walters was still there though, there was hope and he batted really well, first with Matthew Clayton, then with the bowlers, running where he could, farming the strike. Ultimately, he couldn’t do it on his own and Sprotbrough’s fielding held firm. Walters was last to fall, for 60, and the fourth run out of the innings, on 219, with two balls to go but 35 runs adrift. So instead of Barnsley staying close, they are now 24 points behind Sprotbrough. 

 

Sprotbrough 254 (47.2) Sadrian Ward 87, Tom Pepper 71, Jordan Slattery 4-45, Andrew Clayton 3-33 

Barnsley WM 2nds 219 (49.4) Stevie Walters 60, Freddie Chapman 38, Nathan Swift 35, Scott Mantovani 3-51 

 

 

Both teams at the bottom of the Championship desperately wanted to win this match to give them hope of avoiding relegation and it resulted in a great game, with everyone competing to the last. Rockingham made 229-9. Ben Dalton and Jack Riley, separately, had given them a solid start, but it was a partnership of 68, by Mikey Denton and Aquib Shaikh that took them to 166-5 and hopes of a big score. They would have liked more than the 229-9 they finally managed, but it was a strong, competitive total. Green Moor’s captain, Chris Matthewman, was injured after two overs and couldn’t bowl again or bat, which potentially tipped the balance to Rockingham, although Joe White’s outstanding 3-22 in 15 (with eight maidens) did much to redress this. Without Matthewman to bat, someone also needed to step up at the top of Green Moor’s innings and they certainly did!. Ben Simpson and Dan Airstone put on 52 for the first wicket and Simpson and Callum Johnson extended this to 161 before Simpson was bowled by Aquib Shaikh for 89, with thirteen fours and three sixes in 105 balls. Johnson also fell to Shaikh soon after and when Harry Airstone became Shaikh’s fourth wicket, Green Moor had tumbled to 177-6 and the game had swung back to Rockingham. No more wickets fell though, as Chris Snaith and Julian Bates held their nerve and steered Green Moor home on the third ball of the last over, with an unbroken partnership of 56. So Green Moor close the gap but both clubs should feel invigorated and the promise that with the same spirit in other games they can yet escape the drop. 

 

Rockingham C 229-9 (50) Mikey Denton 61, Jack Riley 31, Joseph White 3-22, Harry Airstone 3-37, Jake Rodgers 3-64 

Green Moor 233-6 (49.3) Ben Simpson 89, Callum Johnson 40, Aquib Shaikh 4-61 

 

 

When these two teams had played each other in April, Hallam had been comfortable winners by five wickets and were top of the Championship. Since then Collegiate have put together a string of positive results and Hallam have become vulnerable, winning and losing alternately. Collegiate won the toss and batted. Robbie McKenna played a fine innings of 61 in 93 balls, but others struggled to stay with him against a steady bowling attack by James Smedley, Christian Leddicoat and Ed Burch. When Burch was injured, Joe Cooper finished his over which led to one of his best spells and 7-54 in 11.5 overs. Collegiate fell to 153-6 but Ben Fielding took up McKenna’s mantle and led his side to 211 all out. It shouldn’t have been enough, even against the old firm of Tom Eldred and Ben Fielding, but people got in and got out. A good opening stand of 51 by Nick Dymock and Alex Hughes, became 64-3. A promising partnership of 48 between Romir Singh and Christian Leddicoat was ended by one of three catches for Tom Currie. Singh continued. Hallam were 180-6, just 32 needed. Ed Burch would bat last, if needed. The need came. Fifteen to win – one wicket – 10 balls remaining. Romir Singh swings - and is bowled by Sam Meadows for 75 and Hallam’s promotion hopes stumble.  

 

Sheffield C 2nds 211 (49.3) Robbie McKenna 61, Ben Fielding 36, Joe Cooper 7-54 

Hallam 197 (48.3) Romir Singh 75, Nick Dymock 32, Tom Eldred 4-45 

 

 

A crunch game between two promotion hopefuls. Shiregreen have lost a bit of ground recently. Wickersley have been steady. If Shiregreen can win they will be level again. Wickersley win the toss. Gareth Purshouse and Mark Cummins put on 51 for the first wicket. Johnny Younis helps take it to 129. It’s good to see him getting runs again. Others falter but Mark Cummins goes on. At 174-6 Muhammad Khan has him caught for 70 in 147 balls – a crucial innings. Wickersley close on 193-8. Khan has taken 4-70 and Shiregreen have a real chance of catching their rivals. They start with a run out, then lose more wickets. Abdul Qayoom tries to bring them round with 28, but is fourth out on 68. Hamzah Younis still has to bat, the leading batter in the Championship with over 600 runs, coming in at number six, but wickets continue to fall around him. Younis hits three sixes. Charlie Harrison, returned to the first team, has Shoaib Khaliq caught, then Hamzah Younis goes the same way – a huge wicket - and it’s 124-8. Muhammad Khan and Abdul Lateef provide some cheer and take Shiregreen to 150 before the last wicket falls, 43 runs behind still with 13 overs to bowl. Another missed opportunity for Shiregreen but a very encouraging performance from Wickersley. Mark Cummins has 3-43 in another fine all-round performance. He is very important to Wickersley’s hopes as they move into second place in the table. 

 

Wickersley OV 193-8 (50) Mark Cummins 70, Johnny Younis 32, Muhammad Khan 4-70 

Shiregreen 150 (36.5) Hamzah Younis 32, Mark Cummins 3-43 

 

 

Wath are always the danger team in the league, especially for promotion hopefuls. They have such a strong batting foursome, when they perform. Two together can settle a match. It doesn’t always happen, but unfortunately for Houghton, Saturday was one of those days. Houghton won the toss and batted. Simon Ward was out third ball, but that brought in Luke Ogden who proceeded to score 106 in 153 balls, with a second wicket partnership 0f 83 with Michael Brown and 49 for the sixth with Teriq Worrell. Rob Barlow kept things quiet in between, with 3-37 in 15 overs and held Houghton to 188-6 in their 50 overs. Wath’s reply was dominated by a 124-run partnership between James Barnard and Bradley Williams, following an opening stand of 34 between Barnard and Ainsley Swallow. Williams made 83 in 89 balls and Barnard 58 in 125. Jory Bannister finished it off with seven wickets and seven overs to spare. Wath do make it seem a ridiculously easy game when they play like this and yet they’ve only won six games out of 13. Houghton remain fourth but now need to bridge a gap of 20 points to catch Wickersley. 

 

Houghton Main 188-6 (50) Luke Ogden 106, Rob Barlow 3-37 

Wath 189-3 (42.5) Bradley Williams 83, James Barnard 58 

 

Full scorecards 

 

League tables