Round-up of games played on 15 & 16 June

 

Leaders Cleethorpes were thwarted by the weather in attempting to pull further away at the top of the Premier Division. They asked Appleby Frodingham to bat first at Chichester Road, then reduced them to 98-6, Matthew Owen taking 3-32, before rain ruled out play for the day. Whitley Hall moved up into second place, just 12 points behind the leaders, by gaining a six-wicket win over Treeton, after asking the visitors to bat first at Baxter Field. Zak Jahangir (44*) and Sam Drury (40) added 74 for the fourth wicket and were Treeton 156-4 in the 34th over, Dan Waldron taking 3-59, when rain intervened. Facing a DLS-revised target of 180 in 30 overs, the hosts got off to a solid start with James Moorhouse a (30) and Andrew Pickering (46) putting on 79 for the first wicket. Harrison Wood then contributed 48 off 40 balls and Whitley got home with four balls to spare. Tickhill missed the chance to consolidate second place and close the gap on the leaders when they were beaten at home after being put in to bat by near-neighbours Doncaster Town. Duncan Heath took 5-44 and Harsha Rajapaksha 4-55 as the hosts were bowled out for 155, Minod Bhanuka top-scoring with 52. Requiring 157 off 44 overs after rain intervened, the visitors were in trouble at 57-5, with three wickets falling to Imran Khan (3-38), before Charlie Kaye (46) and Joe Gallagher (31*) put on 50 for the sixth wicket, and Doncaster got home with three wickets and 16 balls to spare. Overnight bottom side Elsecar gained their first win of the season, over Shiregreen at Hatfield House Lane. The hosts were 3-27 after being put in to bat, but Mohammad Khan (50) and Naseer Nahaim (47) then put on 91 for the fourth wicket. Jason Meadows (3-37) and Oliver Blackburn (3-38) then caused a collapse, the last seven wickets falling for just 19, and Shiregreen were all out for 137. The visitors also started poorly and were 19-3, chasing an adjusted 130 from 41 overs, before Pete Hadfield (32) and Tanzeel Ali (61) turned the innings around, and Elsecar won by four wickets in 32 overs. There was no play in the games between Barnsley and Sheffield Collegiate, and Cawthorne and Wakefield Thornes. 

 

The two top clubs in the Championship Division both had to sit it out on Saturday due to the effects of the weather – Wickersley Old Village at Wath, and Ackworth at home to Rockingham Colliery. The principal beneficiaries were Whiston Parish Church, who enjoyed a six-wicket win over Aston Hall at Green Lane. Put in to bat, the hosts reached 176-8 after Tanvir Singh (40) and Mainak Ray (41) had put on 81 for the second wicket and Rob Ward hit 35 off 18 balls in the middle order; whilst Tom Bolland took 4-45 for the visitors. Harry Paver (41) and Danny Kemp (44) enjoyed a second-wicket stand of 64 for Whiston, then Arman Jaffer brought the game to a swift conclusion with an unbeaten 44 off 28 balls. Whiston are now second, just four points behind Wickersley. Hallam are fourth after beating Sprotbrough by 57 runs at Crimicar. Alex Hughes (40) and skipper Nick Dymock (64) got them off to a good start after they were put in to bat, and with Tom O’Toole (41 off 23 balls) providing acceleration later on, the hosts reached 221-8 off 44 overs, visiting skipper Dean Williamson taking 4-59. Sprotbrough were then restricted to 167-9 in reply, Nathaniel Dingle taking 4-29. George Bartlett (4-22) and Daniel Longley (4-11 in 9.1 overs) bowled Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds out for 96 after they had been put in to bat by Sheffield Collegiate 2nds at Abbeydale. Opener Dylan McDonald’s unbeaten 53 then saw the hosts home by eight wickets in the 24th over. Opener Robert Grace (48) and Simon Widdup, with an unbeaten 75 off 79 balls, saw Doncaster Town 2nds to 188-5 after they had been asked to bat first by Houghton Main at the Eco Power Oval. Oscar Harris then took 5-13 and Bradley Heaps 3-13 as the visitors were bowled out for 73 in reply. 

 

Overnight Division 1 leaders Darfield were thwarted by the weather after they had put visitors Aston Hall in to bat and reduced them to 114-7, Alex Keaton taking 3-30, when the rain came and forced an abandonment. Conisbrough took over at the top after putting Whitley Hall 2nds in to bat at Park Road and bowling them out for 120, Scott Lowe taking 3-12 in 11 overs. Josh Whitaker then made 41 when the hosts made light work of their revised targets of 120 in 34 overs, and they won with eight wickets and 7.4 overs to spare. Oughtibridge War Memorial moved in to second place after beating Elsecar 2nds by six wickets at the Al-Murad Stadium. Tuffail Dar took 4-27 and Dilshan Sukumar 3-20 as the hosts were restricted to 136-8 after being asked to bat first in a 40-over game. Opener Naveed Arif (60) then led the visitors to victory in the 35th over. Fourth-placed Rotherham Town lost ground on the leading three after a 17-run defeat to Wickersley Old Village 2nds at Northfield Lane. Put in to bat, the hosts made 209-6, with Nathan Taylor (45) and Brady Saunders (42) the main run-scorers. Only Syed Shah (55) really got going in the visitors’ reply, and they closed on 192-9, skipper Jonathan Allen taking 4-40. Upper Haugh also lost the chance to keep up with the leaders when they were well beaten by Tickhill 2nds at Wentworth Road. Peter Mawdsley top-scored for the visitors with 52 out of their 157-8 in 34 overs after they were put in to bat, Parvez Ashghar taking 5-54. Joe Martin (3-12) and Muhammad Khan (3-7) caused most of the damage when the hosts were bowled out for 71, chasing a revised target of 160 in reply. The game between Wakefield Thornes 2nds and Warmsworth was cancelled. 

 

Coal Aston further strengthened their position in Division 2, winning both their matches on their double weekend, to maintain their 100% record and stretch their lead at the top to 40 points. On Saturday, they beat Parkhead by 30 runs in a 38-over game at Stonelow, having posted 197-9 after being put in to bat. In reply, the visitors were restricted to 167-9. On Sunday, Shaun Trower took 4-37, whilst Michael Hunter and Daniel Hemingway weighed in with three wickets each, when they bowled Hallam 2nds out for 119 after they had chosen to bat first. Skipper Ben Hall and Jon Trower were then unbeaten on 51 and 40 respectively, having put on an unbroken 95 for the third wicket, when the hosts reached their target for the loss of two wickets in 27.3 overs. Hallam enjoyed better fortunes on Saturday, when they played Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds at Waterside Gardens. In a game reduced to 40 overs per side, Jamie Stone (43) helped the visitors to 102-2, but four wickets then fell for the addition of 21 runs until skipper Alex Coates hit an unbeaten 40 off 27 balls to left his side to 185-9. The hosts were 61-6 in reply until Sher Khan lifted their hopes with 62 off 53 balls, and they fell just eight runs short on 177-9, Jonathan Freeman taking 5-55 for Hallam. Only eight overs were possible at the Castle Ground, where Sheffield United were 8-1 against Monk Bretton when rain washed out play for the day, and Hatfield Town were 23-2 at home to Penistone when that game was abandoned. There was no play at all at Washfield Lane, where Treeton 2nds should have played Thorpe Hesley & High Green. 

 

Higham lost their outright lead at the top of Division 3 when they lost at home to Bradfield Village Fellowship. Having been asked to bat first, Bradfield were 140-7 in 25.5 overs when the rain came, Noah Jackson having made 42 whilst Gareth Kilburn took 3-47. Higham were then 47-6 in reply, before Michael Dixon (49 off 46 balls) showed some defiance; but it was not enough, and they were 107-7 at the close, Will Clarke taking 3-23. In a 30-over game at the Common, Caribbean Sports made 143-9 after being put in to bat by Norton Woodseats, for whom Aamir Ashfaque took 3-28. After they had been 22-3 in reply, Woodseats’ captain David Armitage steered his side to a four-wicket victory with an unbeaten 60, and they moved level with Higham at the top. Millhouses Works and Sheffield Collegiate 3rds are now amongst five teams separated by two points below the two leaders. The two met at Millhouses Park where visitors Collegiate were put in to bat and restricted to 125-9 in 40 overs, Zach Belfield taking 3-19 for the hosts. A 70-run third-wicket stand between Callum Simpson (42) and Noah Ellis (31) then effectively won the game for the hosts, and they passed their target with five wickets and 13 balls to spare. Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds were rewarded for bucking the day’s trend and electing to bat first against Thorncliffe & Wentworth at Lound Side. Lucas Slatter, with an unbeaten 50, and Anthony Godley (52) put on 77 for the fifth wicket and helped them to 211-5 in 36 overs, and the hosts were all out for 150 in reply, with three wickets apiece for Joshua Hartfield and Aidan Speed. The games between Kexborough and Worsbrough Bridge, and Norton Oakes and Cawthorne 2nds were cancelled. 

 

Division 4 leaders Rockingham Colliery 2nds had a comfortable win over Shiregreen 2nds at Hoyland Common, and are now 14 points clear of their nearest challengers. Lewis Upton (32) top-scored in the hosts’ 140 all out in 39 overs, Khurram Shahzad (4-27) and Muhammad Sarfraz (4-37) making life difficult for the batsmen. But when the visitors replied, Benjamin Shore (4-25) and Richard Skipworth (3-16) helped bowl them out for 79. Craig Jackson (3-16) led the way for Conisbrough 2nds when they put Stocksbridge in to bat at Bracken Moor and bowled them out for 121 inside 20 overs. The visitors did not have things all their own way in reply, with Andrew Hibbert taking 5-51 for the hosts, but Liam Stainthorpe’s unbeaten 55 off 43 balls saw his side to a three-wicket win. Sheffield Collegiate 4ths put Doncaster Town 3rds in to bat at Abbeydale, and restricted them to 121-8 in 40 overs. Jack Longley and Mark Longley took three wickets each for the hosts, for whom keeper Daniel Craig (41) and Aarav Singh (39) put on 76 for the first wicket to put their side on course for a seven-wicket win in the 38th over. Robert Ibbotson (5-27) and Nick Graves (3-29) helped Sprotbrough 2nds bowl Hallam 3rds out for 107 after they had asked them to bat first at Melton Road. Skipper Thomas Langley was then unbeaten on 40 off just 23 balls as his side coasted to an eight-wicket win in the 16th over. The games between Silkstone United and Upper Haugh 2nds, and Wombwell Main and Frecheville Community were both cancelled. 

 

In Division 5, the games involving the top four clubs were both cancelled – Barnby Dun against Coal Aston 2nds, and Sheffield University Staff against Ackworth 2nds – along with the game between Wickersley Old Village 3rds and Handsworth Junior SC. Fishlake missed the opportunity to make up ground on the leaders when they lost against Maltby Miners Welfare at Muglet Lane. Maltby decided to bat first, but were all out for 102, with Frederick Stevens taking 4-21 and Richard Copley 3-18. Ali Anthony then took 4-13 as the visitors were all out for 89 in reply. Josh Cooke took 6-12 in 5.4 overs to help Whiston Forge bowl Rotherham Town 2nds out for 87 after they chose to bat first at Clifton Lane. Forge were 58-5 in their reply, with three wickets falling to Fida Hussain (3-25), but they got home without further loss in the 23rd over. Joel Wilkinson (48 off 49 balls) top-scored for Darfield 2nds against Whiston Parish Church 2nds after they decided to bat first at Church Fields, and there were three wickets each for George Jenkinson and Ryan Alahakon. Alahakon also top-scored with 34 at the top of the order as the hosts eased to a six-wicket win in the 21st over. 

 

With the top two falling victims to the weather in Division 6, Warmsworth 2nds seized the opportunity to move within six points of the leaders, by beating Whitley Hall 3rds at Common Lane. Having been put in to bat, Kevin Pearson (65) and Muhammed Taimur Khan (44*) helped the hosts post 154-5 in a 20-over game, Rylee Parker taking 3-45 for Whitley. Elliott Ashton made 47 and Josh Singleton 52 off 21 balls when the visitors replied, but it was not enough, and they fell 18 short on 136-5. An unbeaten 69 from opener Makie Mulaffar helped Caribbean Sports 2nds to 139-6 after they were put in to bat by Sheffield United 2nds at Bawtry Road. Fasih Khan (4-27) and Mustafah Azam (4-8) then bowled the hosts out for 92 in reply, Mansoor Khederkhil top-scoring with 42. Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds put Higham 2nds in to bat at the Sands, where Mac Mahmood (61) and skipper Robert McInerney (36*) helped them to 164-5 in a 28-over game. In the hosts’ reply, Paul Garnett was unbeaten on 65 and Ashley Timings-Thompson on 37, but they finished 36 runs short of their target on 128-1. 

 

Taking advantage of leaders’ Brookhouse being defeated by Stocksbridge 2nds, Green Moor moved to the top of Division 7 by beating Sprotbrough 3rds at Hill Top. Jack Berry (35) and Curtis Coles (46*) helped the hosts to 157-5 in 25 overs after they were put in, then six bowlers took wickets as the visitors were restricted to 96-7 in reply, opener Elizabeth Fidler top-scoring with 32. Brookhouse were also asked to bat first when they hosted Stocksbridge 2nds at Rose Lane. Thomas Snow top-scored with an unbeaten 36 as they reached 115-6 in 28 overs. Skipper Steven Perry then hit an unbeaten 32 as the visitors reached their target in the 28th over with eight wickets to spare. Jamie Oliver (3-22) and Matthew Holmes (4-9) were amongst the wickets when Scholes & Harley bowled Doncaster Town 4ths out for 91 at Hill House after asking the hosts to bat first. Opener Tom Wade was then unbeaten on 58 when the visitors passed their target with nine wickets to spare in the 19th over. Houghton Main 2nds conceded their game at Adwick-le-Street, and the games at Woolley (Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths against Eden Grove Parklands) and Hootton Pagnell (Upper Haugh 3rds against Norton Oakes 2nds) were cancelled. 

 

Parkhead 2nds maintained their lead at the top of Division 8 when they asked Barnby Dun 2nds to bat first and bowled them out for 101 at Ecclesall Road, Owen Morris taking 5-22. Ian Davis was then unbeaten on 41 when the hosts passed their target for the loss of three wickets in the 23rd over. Second-placed Rockingham Colliery 3rds were put in to bat by Hallam 4ths at Sandygate, and were bowled out for 127, Nurender Manohar taking 6-22 and William Arblaster 3-7. James Peet took 5-22 when Hallam replied, and they were all out for 86. Elsecar 3rds put Mexborough Athletic 2nds in to bat at the Beecroft Estates ground, and bowled them out for 78, Oliver Mottram taking 4-10 in 8.3 overs. Opener Matthew Shaw hit an unbeaten 42 as Elsecar sprinted to victory by eight wickets in the 13th over. The games between Frecheville Community 2nds and Wombwell Main 2nds; Norton Woodeats 2nds and Monk Bretton 2nds; and Worsbrough Bridge 2nds and Kexborough 2nds were all cancelled. 

 

Only one game survived the weather in Division 9, at Guilthwaite Hill, where Wath 3rds asked Whiston Forge 2nds to bat first in a 30-over game, and restricted them to 110-7, of which Adam Booth was unbeaten on 60. Joel Humphries was unbeaten on 56 when the visitors claimed an eight-wicket win that moves them up to joint-second in the table. The other three games were all cancelled; Dearne against Brookhouse 2nds, Eden Grove Parklands against Thorncliffe & Wentworth 2nds, and Scholes & Harley 2nds against Silkstone United 2nds. 

 

 

In the ECB National KO Group 2 final at Alderson Drive, Tickhill made 187-8 after choosing to bat first against Wakefield Thornes. After a slow start, Connor Fisher, with an unbeaten 50 off 42 balls, gave some impetus to the innings, whilst Matty Taylor took 3-35 for the visitors. When Thornes replied, they were 57-4 before Dylan Hurst hit 49 off 29 balls, but when he became the first of skipper James Stuart’s three victims, the last five wickets fell for nine runs and Thornes were all out for 141.  

 

In the Whitworth Cup, only Jack Machin (33) and Hysam Hameed reached double figures for Wakefield Thornes 2nds after they were put in to bat by Aston Hall at Green Lane. Nazakat Khan took 3-18 as Thornes were bowled out for 109, then Mainak Ray hit 57 to help the hosts claim a six-wicket win in the 25th over. Thomas Pepper (84 off 85 balls), Rocco Cook (53 off 51), Harry Graham (50 off 34), Daniel Wright (64 off 28) and George Thompson (77 not out off 24 with four 4s and eight 6s) helped Sprotbrough to a massive 383-5 in their 40 overs after they were put in to bat by Conisbrough at Park Road. Buddhika Bopitiyaga (40) and Nathan Smith (52) provided the only real resistance in the hosts’ reply, and they were all out for 146, Scott Mantovani taking 3-29. Skipper Joe Stickland (54), aided by thirties from Matt Lambert and Lewis Sansome, saw Darfield to 214 all out after they were asked to bat first by Whiston Parish Church at Church Fields, Kazim Hassan taking 5-43 for the hosts. Danny Kemp (55) and Sam Bowden (56*) then helped Whiston to a five-wicket win in 35 overs. 

 

Whitworth cup semi-final draw – ties to be played on Sunday 14 July: