Premier Division round-up for 14 May

Wakefield Thornes preserved their 100% record at the top of the Premier Division in a game that proved yet again that it is not necessary to have runs galore to produce a thrilling game. It started dramatically, with Thornes justifying their decision to bowl first by sending the first four Cawthorne batsmen back to the pavilion at Dark Lane without scoring. A three-wicket burst by Matty Taylor, including that of Michael Jepps and Taruwar Kohli in the first over, had Cawthorne reeling at 5-4. Twenties from Harvey Jones, Archie Greaves and Nicholas Lowe got them up to 92, a total that still looked inadequate. But Josh Holling and Ahmed Matloob reduced Thornes to 34-8 and a home win suddenly looked well on the cards. But the 16-year old Jawad Akhtar (36 off 62 balls) added 44 for the ninth wicket with Imran Mahboob to take his side to within 15 of the target, and when Holling removed 44 Mahboob, last man Brad Green stood firm to help Akhtar take Thornes over the line for a remarkable victory. 

 

Cawthorne 92 (41.3) Matty Taylor 4-22 

Wakefield Thornes 96-9 (37) Jawad Akhtar 35*, Ahmed Matloob 6-25, Josh Holling 3-32 

 

The division‘s other 100% record fell at Alderson Drive, where joint-third Tickhill recorded a convincing win over champions Appleby Frodingham. After winning the toss, Tickhill overcame the loss of three wickets in the thirties to post a challenging target. James Stuart (103 in 133 balls) added 153 for the fourth wicket with Jim Morgan, and after both had departed, Jordan Lowe, with 48 off 31 balls, and Connor Fisher added the icing on the cake with an aggressive unbroken stand of 57. In reply, the Steelmen appeared to overcome the early loss of Alex Grimes, as Matt Morland and Jordan Neil (120 in 118 balls) added 69 for the second wicket. But after their stand had been broken by Tian Koekemoer, only Jordan Cook reached double figures and Neil, lacking support, was last out 63 short of the target with nearly seven overs left. It was Tickhill’s first win over their visitors in five league games – they move up to second in the division, Frodingham drop to third. 

 

Tickhill 273-5 (50) James Stuart 103, Jim Morgan 67, Jordan Lowe 48* 

Appleby Frodingham 210 (43.1) Matt Morland 35, Jordan Neil 120, Tian Koekemoer 4-57, Adi Sreedharan 4-56 

 

Cleethorpes, looking for a fourth straight win to put pressure on the leaders, slipped from 46-0 to 90-8 after electing to bat first against Sheffield Collegiate. Alex Osmond, making his first appearance of the season then put on 53 for ninth wicket with Harry Costello to give his side something to bowl at. But Luke Shutt, with 70 off 59 balls, and George Bartlett put on a rapid 111 for the visitors’ first wicket, and the game was effectively all over. Cleethorpes hold their place in the top four, but Collegiate are now just two points behind them. 

 

Cleethorpes 160 (47.2) Tom Keast 44, Alex Osmond 41, Jamie Carrington 3-29 

Sheffield Collegiate 161-3 (32.5) George Bartlett 56, Luke Shutt 70 

 

Now in joint fifth place with Collegiate are Whitley Hall, who gained a comfortable win over Elsecar at the Al Murad Stadium. Overcoming the early loss of skipper James Moorhouse, who had won the toss and elected to bat, Matt Cartwright and Neil Longhurst batted responsibly to add 108 for the visitors’ second wicket. After Moin Ashraf had removed Cartwright, wickets started to fall regularly, and it was only a quickfire 25 off 14 balls from Dan Waldron that gave Whitley a score of over 200 to bowl at. Waldron then removed both Elsecar’s openers with just 11 on the board, but thirties from Bilal Anjam, Ian Swallow and Kashif Naveed kept the home side in the hunt until Longhurst turned destroyer with a five-wicket spell in a top-class all-round individual performance. 

 

Whitley Hall 220-7 (50) Matt Cartwright 50, Neil Longhurst 78, Moin Ashraf 4-43 

Elsecar 159 (47.1) Bilal Anjam 32, Ian Swallow 38, Kashif Naveed 32, Neil Longhurst 5-21 

 

Whiston Parish Church elected to bat first at home to Doncaster Town, but after battling to 91-4, they lost their last six wickets for 28 runs and were all out for 119. Only Joe Norbury showed any real resistance against James Dobson and James Keast. Chasing their modest target, the visitors soon lost Dobson, but this only brought in Umar Amin, who was a man in a hurry. He hit an unbeaten 80 off 52 balls in an unbroken second wicket stand of 104 with Jaden Fell, which took Town to the Division’s first win of the day. After losing their first two games, Doncaster have now won three on the trot, and move up to seventh place in the table. 

 

Whiston PC 119 (36) Joe Norbury 40*, James Dobson 3-25, James Keast 3-10 

Doncaster T 123-1 (15.2) Umar Amin 80* 

 

Neither side came into the game at Washfield Road in good form, but the two sides produced plenty of runs and a decent finish. Visitors Barnsley Woolley Miners elected to bat first, and after they had lost a couple of early wickets, newcomer Jake Weatherald, with 66 off 52 balls, added 62 for the third wicket with Ali Jahangir. After that, a succession of twenties and thirties took Barnsley to a competitive 270 against the varied home attack. Treeton’s reply was based on two good partnerships; firstly, Dave Rodgers and Liam Johnson with 87 for the second wicket, and then Sam Drury and Chris Cobb with 127 for the fourth. Three wickets fell for 15 runs to give the visitors hope in the later stages, but Greg Norton, with an unbeaten 17 off nine balls, saw his side home. Treeton’s win takes them to eighth place – just eight points behind the fourth club, Cleethorpes. 

 

Barnsley WM 270 (49.1) Jake Weatherald 66, Ali Jahangir 35, Jason Booth 32, Vinnie Ogden 4-96, Will Street 3-37 

Treeton 274-7 (48.5) Dave Rodgers 54, Liam Johnson 31, Sam Drury 50, Chris Cobb 61