Preview of games on the weekend of 30 April

Joint leaders Appleby Frodingham have an interesting clash with Sheffield Collegiate at Brumby Hall in the Premier Division. Whilst the home side are unbeaten so far, Collegiate returned to winning ways last Saturday, after their opening game defeat to Whitley Hall, with a narrow win over Whiston Parish Church. The Steelmen did the double over the Abbeydale side last season. Another unbeaten side are Whitley Hall, who make the trip to Tickhill, who completed the league double over them last season. Tickhill will count themselves very unlucky not to have maintained their 100% record when they lost by a single run at Field Lane last week. Their conquerors then, Wakefield Thornes, will be hoping to keep their winning run going when they visit Churchfields so play Whiston. After losing their opening games, Cawthorne and Cleethorpes opened their accounts with wins last week and they will meet in another interesting-looking game at Dark Lane, which will be the first league meeting between the two. Elsecar and Barnsley Woolley Miners meet in a local derby at the Al-Murad Stadium; both sides have lost their first two games and will be desperate not to make it three on the trot. Barnsley staged a brilliant recovery to win the corresponding game last year. Finally, Doncaster Town will also want to open their account when they visit Treeton, over whom they did the double last year. The visitors will want to ensure that last week’s defeat at Cawthorne was no more than a blip. 

 

Joint leaders of the Championship, Hallam, will be hoping to maintain their fine start to the season when they host Conisbrough, who are seeking their first win. Aston Hall, the other unbeaten team in the division, are at home to Wickersley, who have one win in the two games so far, this over Wath. Wath came back from that reverse in style last weekend, with an excellent win over Houghton Main at Middlecliffe Lane, and they will be looking to build on that performance at home to winless Sprotbrough, over whom they did a double last year. The two newly promoted clubs, Green Moor and Shiregreen, both of whom lost their first game but won last week, go head-to-head at Chapel Lane – the games between the two going the way of the home side last season. In the other game, Houghton Main host Sheffield Collegiate, a fixture won by the visitors last year, hoping to put last week’s reverse quickly behind them. 

 

After a huge win at home to Upper Haugh, Darfield are on the road this week in Division 1 as they travel to Coal Aston, who produced a fantastic performance themselves to chase down 206 away to Sheffield Collegiate 3rds. Collegiate themselves travel to Oughtibridge, hoping they can back up the runs with a better bowling display. South Kirkby were bowled out for just 59 by Doncaster Town 2nds on the weekend, and they are away at Whitley Hall 2nds, while Town host Warmsworth. The other games of the day see Upper Haugh host Rotherham Town and Sheffield United at Wakefield Thornes 2nds. 

 

Aston Hall 2nds were the stars of Division 2 last weekend as they racked up 342 at home to Caribbean, and they make their first trip to Ackworth this week. Caribbean will hope for improvement when they host Treeton 2nds. Hallam 2nds were also high-scorers last time out, with 286 at Thorpe Hesley & High Green. Another away game sees them face Hatfield Town. Town’s conquerors last week, Penistone, won convincingly and will look to continue the momentum with a tough test away at Wickersley Old Village 2nds. Norton Oakes host Monk Bretton and Thorpe Hesley travel to Norton Woodseats in the weekend’s other games. 

 

Bradfield Village Fellowship and Tickhill 2nds both played out tight victories last weekend in Division 3 and they meet each other this week hoping for less drama. Elsecar 2nds convincingly beat Thorncliffe & Wentworth with an impressive bowling display, and will look to continue in the same vein at Sprotbrough 2nds. Thorncliffe & Wentworth, themselves, play host to an Oughtibridge 2nds side that lost narrowly to Bradfield a week ago. Elsewhere, Kexborough host Wath 2nds at Bence Lane, Whiston Parish Church 2nds travel to Parkhead and Frecheville Community play Worsbrough Bridge. 

 

Higham took the headlines last time out in Division 4 when they beat Rockingham Colliery 2nds by 162 runs. This time they travel to Millhouses Works, who beat Barnsley Woolley 3rds last time out, while Rockingham play host to Cawthorne 2nds. Maltby Miners Welfare won by just three runs at Shiregreen 2nds, and they host a tough Handsworth side in what could be an interesting fixture. For Shiregreen, there is another home fixture with Whiston Forge coming to town. In the other games, Sheffield Collegiate 4ths host Stocksbridge and Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds travel to Silkstone United. 

 

Coal Aston 2nds scored 259-4 in the highest score to grace Division 5 scorecards last weekend. They went on to win by 149 runs and will hope for more of the same away to Doncaster Town 3rds. The team that succumbed to the heavy defeat at Stonelow were Mexborough Athletic, who host Upper Haugh 2nds this time out. Both Hallam 3rds and Sheffield University Staff were victim of batting collapses on a tough weekend for both last week. This time, Hallam travel to Fishlake while the University are at Darfield 2nds, with batting solidity the aim of the day. The other games of the weekend see Wombwell Main at Conisbrough 2nds and Rotherham Town 2nds hosting Norton Oakes 2nds. 

 

Last weekend saw big wins for Green Moor 2nds, Handsworth 2nds and Sheffield United 2nds in Division 6. Both Green Moor and Handsworth scored large first innings totals and will hope for the same again when they play Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds and Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds respectively. Sheffield United, on the other hand, had their bowlers to thank for their most recent win, with Caribbean 2nds coming to town hoping to fare better than Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths, who were bowled out for just 93. Wickersley Old Village 3rds were also bowled out cheaply last time out and face Barnsley with batting the focus for both teams. The other game of the day sees Penistone 2nds play host to Sprotbrough 3rds. 

 

Last weekend in Division 7, Higham 2nds, Ackworth 2nds and Mexborough Athletic 2nds all achieved handsome winning margins after posting good first innings scores. This week, they play Harley, Monk Bretton 2nds and Brookhouse respectively. Brookhouse had a big win after bowling out Thorncliffe & Wentworth 2nds for just 90. Both Warmsworth 2nds and Frecheville Community 2nds picked up no points last week and are on 12 points each; they play each other on Saturday hoping for all 12 to climb the early table. Eden Grove Parklands host Millhouses Works 2nds with both sides looking for a win to help them climb away from the bottom of the table. 

 

Doncaster Town 4ths and Hatfield Town 2nds produced the performances of the weekend last time out in Division 8. They both posted scores above 200 before bowling their opponents out cheaply. Both now face away games, with Hatfield playing Stocksbridge 2nds and Doncaster playing Scholes. Fishlake 2nds were on the end of the heavy loss at home to Doncaster, and face Houghton Main 2nds, who will picked up 12 points for a concession last week and will be looking to earn 12 more on the field. The other games of the day see Wath 3rds play host to Dearne, and Worsbrough Bridge 2nds play against Silkstone United 2nds. 

 

Division 9 sees four games on Saturday and two on Sunday. There’s symmetry to the Sunday fixtures as Wombwell Main 2nds and Rockingham Colliery 4ths play each other off the back of wins; whilst Sheffield United 3rds and Eden Grove Parklands 2nds compete after losses. Adwick-le-Street won handsomely last time out against Hampole & Skelbrooke after a strong batting display. They will want more of the same as they travel to Upper Haugh 3rds. Hampole & Skelbrooke will look to bounce back at home to Brookhouse 2nds, with Whiston Forge 2nds hosting Kexborough 2nds in the weekend’s other fixture. 

 

Sunday sees the first round of the Mick Savage Trophy for Division 1 and 2 clubs, with eight Division 2 sides in action. Last years’ President’s Cup winners, Penistone, promoted from Division 3, have a home tie against Norton Oakes, whose neighbours Woodseats travel to another promoted side in Caribbean Sports. The two new clubs in Division 2, Hatfield and Ackworth, are both at home, to Thorpe Hesley & High Green and Wickersley Old Village 2nds respectively. 

 

On Monday, there are three ties in the Viking Cricket Cup. In a game between two former finalists, Barnsley Woolley Miners travel to Baxter Field looking for revenge for their league defeat to Whitley Hall last week. Cawthorne travel to Doncaster, and the two teams that narrowly lost in big run chases last Saturday, Whiston Parish Church and Tickhill, meet at Churchfields. The tie between Elsecar and Cleethorpes will now be played on 8 May. 

 

Full fixtures