Premier Division round-up for 3 September

Thanks to the result at Alderson Drive, Elsecar’s Premier Division status for 2023 had already been confirmed by the time they completed a convincing win over bottom side Whiston Parish Church at the Al-Murad stadium. After they had been put in to bat by their visitors, a fourth-wicket stand of 140 between Kasheef Naveed (110 off 108 balls) and Tanzeel Ali took the game away from Whiston, after Elsecar had been 86-3. Facing a daunting target, the visitors lost Harry Paver to a run out at 16, but a stand of 129 between Joe Norbury and Danny Kemp ensured that they did not capitulate as in some recent games. A rain break reduced the target to 230 in 41 overs, but they were well short, and Elsecar celebrated their fourth win in five games and continued Premier Division status. 

 

Elsecar 308-8 (50) Callum Higgins 33, Peter Hadfield 30, Kasheef Naveed 110, Tanzeel Ali 50, Tom Bolland 3-76 

Whiston PC 180-4 (41) Joe Norbury 97, Danny Kemp 53, Adi Sreedharan 3-49 

 

Tickhill asked visitors Cawthorne to bat first at Alderson Drive, and were rewarded with the early wicket of Nick Owen. But Taruwar Kohli then added 75 with Michael Jepps for the second wicket, and 58 with Kade Fletcher for the third, to take them to 144-3. Adi Sreedharan took three wickets to prevent them pushing on to a formidable total, but 231-8 looked a competitive enough score. However, Ross Diver got Tickhill off to a positive start with 53 off 41 balls, before a brisk fourth-wicket partnership of 91 between Jim Morgan and Connor Fisher took the home side to the brink of victory. Morgan fell to Ahmed Matloob, but Fisher completed his 50 off 47 balls to see his side home and condemn the visitors to a season back in the Championship. Tickhill finish in a well-deserved second place. 

 

Cawthorne 231-8 (50) Michael Jepps 36, Taruwar Kohli 59, Kade Fletcher 35, Liam Wiles 67* 

Tickhill 233-4 (37.2) Ross Diver 53, Dane Schadendorf 30, Jim Morgan 65, Connor Fisher 50*, Ahmed Matloob 3-59 

 

Appleby Frodingham celebrated receiving the Premier Division championship trophy with a resounding win over Lincolnshire neighbours Cleethorpes at Brumby Hall. Having elected to bast first, the home side suffered an early blow when acting captain Alex Grimes was bowled by Harry Costello in the first over. But Jordan Cook and Jordan Neil then added 136 for the second wicket to put their side on top, and after Cook had fallen to Sameera Sadamal, Neil took complete control, dominating an 83-run fourth-wicket stand with Jack Harrison, and fell only at the end for a magnificent 149 off 148 balls, as his side reached an impressive 270-5. Cleethorpes never really threatened to get anywhere near their target after Kieran Watson took three of the first four wickets with only 89 on the board, and Kieran Lindley took three more as the visitors lost their last four wickets for four runs. But for both sides, their objectives were achieved last Monday; when the Steelmen clinched the championship, and the Meggies secured their Premier Division future. 

 

Appleby Frodingham 270-5 (50) Jordan Cook 74, Jordan Neil 149 

Cleethorpes 127 (28.5) Bill Kirby 34, Kieran Watson 3-23, Kieran Lindley 3-30 

 

Wakefield Thornes lost the chance to finish in the runners-up spot when they were beaten by Whitley Hall at Baxter Field. Having elected to bat first, Thornes were indebted to Kieran Donnachie, who recorded his maiden century. Until Imran Mahboob came in at number nine to share in an eighth-wicket stand of 70, Donnachie enjoyed little significant support at the other end, and he fell just short of carrying his bat throughout the innings, being ninth out at 229, one of James Brown’s four wickets in the innings. A target of 237 on their own ground was within Whitley’s compass, and openers James Moorhoiuse and Matt Cartwright got them off to a bright start with a stand of 79. Three wickets then fell quickly, but Neil Longhurst and Tim Smith came together in a decisive fourth-wicket stand of 94, that brought victory into sight. Thornes, in a transitional season, have still done well to finish third; whilst Whitley Hall have just done enough to finish in the top half of the table. 

 

Wakefield T 236 (50) Kieran Donnachie 101, Imran Mahboob 45, James Brown 4-31, Tim Smith 3-47 

Whitley Hall 239-6 (47.4) James Moorhouse 45, Matt Cartwright 40, Neil Longhurst 52, Tim Smith 51, Matty Taylor 3-65 

 

Barnsley Woolley Miners secured a top-four finish by beating Doncaster Town at Shaw Lane. Having elected to bat first, the home side lost a couple of quick wickets to James Dobson before Beck Frostick and Ali Jahangir added 55 for the third wicket. Owen Smith then helped Frostick take the score to 114, before three wickets fell for just eleven runs, two to Andrew Parkin-Coates, to leave the home side 125-6. But then Ollie Jackson and Matty Clegg added 67 for the seventh wicket to ensure that Barnsley had a competitive total to bowl at. In reply, two early Jay Smith wickets saw Town 34-2, before Stuart Guy and James Ward added 55 for the third wicket. Ollie Jackson then took the wickets of Guy and Charlie Kay, first ball, but Ward continued to hold the innings together, whilst wickets fell at the other end, until he was ninth out to Jackson with just 25 wanted. Nine runs later, Smith took his fifth wicket to complete his best return of the season and earn his side a win by 17 runs. 

 

Barnsley WM 213 (49.3) Beck Frostick 61, Ollie Jackson 46, James Dobson 3-63 

Doncaster T 196 (47) Stuart Guy 38, James Ward 62, Jay Smith 5-47, Ollie Jackson 4-51 

 

Both Sheffield Collegiate and Treeton could potentially have been relegated a week ago, but the winner of their meeting at Abbeydale would have finished in the top four had Barnsley lost. Having elected to bat first, Treeton owed their respectable score mainly to a 129-run second-wicket partnership between Dave Rodgers and Liam Johnson. After Johnson became one of Jamie Carrington’s three victims, Rodgers continued to complete his first century for five seasons before also falling to Carrington just before the end. In reply, Will Hale and George Bartlett put on 65 for the first wicket, before two wickets each for Johnson and Greg Norton pegged the home side back to 99-4. But Sam Hunt then took over, and his unbeaten 77 off 63 balls took Collegiate to victory. After what has been a disappointing season for both teams, they end the season in solid mid-table positions. 

 

Treeton 220-6 (50) Dave Rodgers 113, Liam Johnson 63, Jamie Carrington 3-46 

Sheffield Coll 221-6 (48.4) Will Hale 33, Ed McKenna 39, Sam Hunt 77* 

 

Full scorecards 

 

Final league table & leading averages