Premier Division round-up - 4 September

 

 

Having elected to bat first on a pitch that was not easy, the new champions soon lost skipper Matt Fowler to Dan Waldron, after which wickets fell regularly. It was only opener Alex Grimes, who stood firm whilst Waldron was creating havoc at the other end, and Jamar Ifill, with a cameo 29 off 31 balls, who ensured that the bowlers had something to defend. Whilst the visitors would have been favourites at tea, once again the Steelmen’s bowlers came to the rescue, and Whitley Hall found batting no less difficult than their hosts. After the early loss of Jack Riley, Matt Cartwright (26) and Andrew Pickering added 45 for the second wicket to take them to 46-1, before both were dismissed by Kieran Lindley. The visitors lost seven wickets for 41 runs before Waldron’s unbeaten 19 raised hopes of a dramatic win, but veteran seamer Paul Hilton took the last wicket with just five wanted. 

 

Appleby Frodingham 112 (29.4 overs) Alex Grimes 48, Dan Waldron 5-32 

Whitley Hall 108 (39.5) Joe Baker 3-24, Kieran Lindley 4-30, Paul Hilton 3-20 

 

 

Hallam’s decision to bowl first backfired at Dark Lane. Liam Wiles’ 31 off 37 balls got the home side off to a brisk start, before skipper Taruwar Kohli took over and hit a magnificent unbeaten 137 off 117 balls, adding 205 for the second wicket with Michael Jepps. Charlie Bourne stood out in the visitors’ depleted attack with 1-42 in 14 overs. When Hallam replied, Nick Dymock dominated an opening stand of 107 with Robert Basu (26), and he took the score to 162-3 before falling to Liam Wiles, who was the pick of the home attack. Four wickets then fell for 36, but Joe Cooper, James Smedley and Mathew Hopkins (22*) fought to the end, and fell only 13 short of a famous win in a spirited performance that augurs well for a swift return to the Premier Division. 

 

Cawthorne 274-3 (50) Michael Jepps 79, Liam Wiles 31, Taruwar Kohli 137* 

Hallam 262-9 (50) Nick Dymock 94, Joe Cooper 36, Liam Wiles 4-54 

 

 

One of the games of the season took place at Abbeydale, where sixth-placed Elsecar came out on top over the division’s runners-up Sheffield Collegiate, by just one run in 277. After the visitors were put in to bat, Ian Swallow and Kashif Naveed came together at 53-2, and added 64 in a stand that changed the complexion of the game. After Naveed fell to Jamie Carrington, Swallow remained to the end, anchoring the innings whilst the score was doubled. Facing a daunting target, Collegiate were 82-3 when Jacob Waterson joined Shaaiq Choudhry in a fourth wicket stand of 78 that seemed to tilt the game in the home side’s favour. But in a tremendous finish, Elsecar held their nerve for a great win, with Naveed’s 2-55 in 15 overs of equal importance to his contribution with the bat. 

 

Elsecar 239-6 (50) Sam Shaw 32, Ian Swallow 70*, Kashif Naveed 45 

Sheffield C 238-6 (50) Shaaiq Choudhry 55, Jacob Waterson 82* 

 

 

In this battle of two sides that have been in the top half all season, Treeton elected to bat first at Shaw Lane. Two wickets from home skipper Beck Frostick helped reduced them to 63-4, when Sam Drury came in to join Liam Johnson. The pair added 95 for the fifth wicket, but the departure of Drury was the first of three wickets that fell for the addition of 16 runs. But with Johnson going on to complete a well-deserved hundred, Treeton reached a competitive total. In reply, Jon Trower and Leo Johnson added 70 for the second wicket before a mini-collapse saw three wickets fall for the addition of ten runs. Ali Jahangir (25) and Stevie Walters then added 36 before another min-slump made it 151-7. By then, Frostick had entered the fray, and with an unbeaten 35 off 31 balls, with support from Ciaran Stenton and Ollie Jackson, he saw the home side to a thrilling one-wicket win off the last ball. 

 

Treeton 208-8 (50) Liam Johnson 101*, Sam Drury 40, Beck Frostick 4-36 

Barnsley WM 211-9 (50) Jon Trower 51, Leo Johnson 36, Beck Frostick 35*, Will Street 5-60 

 

 

Visitors Tickhill elected to make first use of a good batting pitch at Field Lane, and after Ross Diver and Mark Cummins had added 82 for the first wicket, Joe Billings and Mustafa Hussain joined forces to add another 82 for the third, to give the visitors a solid total. Thornes made a poor start in reply, but Byron Boshoff and Matt Jordan (29) added 59 for the third wicket to take them to 78-2. Then three wickets fell for 35 runs to put the visitors on top at 113-5. Another stand of 59, between Boshoff and Matty Taylor (29) pulled Thornes back into it, before Boshoff completed the job, and a fine unbeaten hundred, in an unbroken 42-run stand with Imran Mahboob. 

 

Tickhill 215-3 (50) Ross Diver 55, Joe Billings 70*, Mustafa Hussain 34 

Wakefield T 216-7 (49.3) Byron Boshoff 111* 

 

 

Doncaster won the toss and batted at Northfield Lane and although runs flowed freely, wickets fell regularly, and half the side were out with 130 on the board. It was a seventh wicket stand of 70 between Joe Gallagher and Charlie Graham that really put the visitors on top, and then Gallagher was joined by Sonny Day-Tennant in an entertaining eighth wicket stand of 65 to help Town set a daunting target. Wickets fell regularly in the home side’s reply, and only Jonny Younis and Liam Heathcote provided any prolonged resistance. As in the first innings, Gallagher was the star of the show, with seven wickets to add to his unbeaten 70. It was an encouraging end to a hard season for Doncaster, whilst Wickersley can only improve on a dismal 2021. 

 

Doncaster T 296-8 (50) James Ward 32, Charlie Kaye 33, Joe Gallagher 71*, Charlie Graham 40, Sonny Day-Tennant 30, David Mace 4-83 

Wickersley OV 160 (32.1) Shahjahan Younis 34, Liam Heathcote 41, Joe Gallagher 7-51