Premier Division round-up for 16 April

Champions Appleby Frodingham got the defence of their title off to a fine start with a convincing home win over Barnsley Woolley Miners. Having elected to bat first, the Steelmen got off to a solid start with a 62-run opening stand between Matt Fowler (29) and Alex Grimes. South African overseas player Jordan Neil then came in to mark his long-awaited debut with a century (101 off 109 balls), sharing an 86-run second-wicket stand with Grimes. Neil then added 90 for the third wicket with Kieran Lindley to set the visitors an imposing target. Opening the bowling, Neil followed up with the early wicket of opposing skipper Jason Booth, and after a 37-run second wicket stand between John Trower (24) and Leo Johnson, who followed up his tidy 2-27 spell with a patient 27, wickets fell steadily. Neil rounded off a fine all-round performance with 3-11 in eight overs. 

 

Appleby Frodingham 251-4 (50 overs) Alex Grimes 53, Jordan Neil 101, Kieran Lindley 31 

Barnsley WM 141 (48.3) Jordan Neil 3-11, Kieran Lindley 3-21 

 

The match of the day took place at Washfield Road, where Treeton had a real tussle with newly-promoted Cleethorpes. After the home side were put in to bat on a typical early-season pitch, a first-wicket stand of 67 between Chris Cobb (27) and Dave Rodgers proved crucial. After that, Cleethorpes new signing from Bourne, Ben Wright, took six wickets, backed up by overseas player Sameera Sadamal with four, to restrict the home side to 139. In reply, the Meggies lost six wickets for 29 to stumble from 27-0 to 56-6, with four wickets for Vinnie Ogden in a fine spell. Kieran Brooker then rallied the visitors, and at 122-7 the game was well and truly in the balance. But Ogden returned to take the key wicket of Brooker and Cleethorpes fell nine runs short of victory. 

 

Treeton 139 (38.1) Dave Rodgers 36, Ben Wright 6-54, Sameera Sadamal 4-33 

Cleethorpes 130 (44) Kieran Brooker 31, Vinnie Ogden 6-60, Zeeshan Karamat 3-19 

 

The other promoted side, Whiston Parish Church, got their campaign off to a flying start with a 27-run win over Cawthorne at Churchfields. Having won the toss, Gareth Davis and Joe Norbury (29), aided by a substantial contribution from extras, put on 81 for the first wicket. Three wickets then fell for three runs, but Aamir Jamal’s half century ensured a very competitive total for the home side. Michael Jepps and Liam Wiles got the visitors’ reply off to a good start with a stand of 97, but both were dismissed by Norbury for the addition of three runs. Skipper Taruwar Kohli and keeper Harvey Jones added 67 for the third wicket, but Norbury then returned with a four-wicket blast and the visitors lost five wickets for just six runs as the game tilted decisively in favour of the home side. 

 

Whiston PC 240-8 (50) Gareth Davis 30, Aamir Jamal 51, Ahmed Matloob 3-78 

Cawthorne 213 (48.4) Michael Jepps 35, Liam Wiles 53, Taruwar Kohli 31, Harvey Jones 34, Joe Norbury 6-64 

 

Whitley Hall skipper James Moorhouse made a memorable return to action after missing the 2021 season, by leading his side to a 43-run win over a Sheffield Collegiate side seen by many as the leading challengers to champions Appleby Frodingham. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Moorhouse contributed a responsible 52 and shared in a match-winning third-wicket stand of 80 with James Brown. Sam Woodcock (23) and Matthew Godden (23) contributed valuable runs lower down the order, whilst Jamie Carrington took five wickets for Collegiate. Luke Shutt and Shaaiq Choudhry added 61 for Collegiate’s second wicket, but debutant Tim Smith, from Worksop, took 4-16 in five overs with the aid of two tremendous catches by Neil Longhurst. With a couple of wickets each for Dan Waldron and Ben Webster, the visitors lost their last nine wickets for 51 runs, and the home side earned a comparatively comfortable win to start their campaign. 

 

Whitley Hall 170 (49.4) James Moorhouse 52, James Brown 30, Shaaiq Choudhry 3-54, Jamie Carrington 5-36 

Sheffield Collegiate 127 (36.1) Luke Shutt 37, Shaaiq Choudhry 30, Tim Smith 4-16 

 

It was a day of fine debuts, and another to mark his debut for his new club with a hundred was former Tickhill wicket-keeper batsman Joe Billings. Billings came in with Wakefield Thornes on 121-1 against Elsecar, and added 83 for the third wicket with James Rhodes, on his way to 111 off 112 balls to take his side to an imposing total. Last season’s top Premier Division wicket-taker Moin Ashraf finished with 4-50 in his 14 overs. The home side’s reply never really got going, despite Kashif Naveed’s 45, and they lost wickets too regularly to seriously threaten their target. Matt Varley, returning to Thornes after a five-year absence in the Bradford League, marked his ‘second debut’ with three wickets. 

 

Wakefield Thornes 258-8 (50) Joe Billings 111, James Rhodes 35, Moin Ashraf 4-50 

Elsecar 177 (48.1) Kashif Naveed 45, Ian Swallow 31, Matt Varley 3-64 

 

A three-wicket spell by another debutant, Tickhill’s Tian Koekemoer, put visitors Doncaster Town in trouble at 20-3 at Alderson Drive. Skipper James Ward steadied the ship with a patient half century, and there was a late flourish from Curtis Free, but the visitors’ 149-7 never looked enough. Ross Diver and Dane Schadendorf added 77 for the second wicket to set the home side on their way, and the result was never really in doubt after that. 

 

Doncaster Town 149-7 (50) James Ward 51, Curtis Free 36* Tian Koekemoer 4-40 

Tickhill 150-3 (34.4) Ross Diver 58, Dane Schadendorf 41