Round-up of games played on 31 August & 1 September

 

The Mick Savage Trophy final was played at Darfield on Sunday, and produced an interesting finish. Penistone had been asked to bat first and reached 151-7 in their 40 overs, and Warmsworth were 130-6 after 36 overs in reply when the game was abandoned due to rain. At that point, the DLS target score was 130, so the scores were tied and Warmsworth declared winners by virtue of having lost fewer wickets. Earlier Tom Reid and Tom Exley had taken Penistone to 46-0, then three wickets fell for the addition of three runs before Chris Matthewman, with an unbeaten 54, gave his side something to bowl at. Siddarth Ahhuja was the pick of the Warmsworth attack with 1-12 in his eight overs, and there were two wickets each for Lewis Brown and Limar Pierce. When Warmsworth replied, there were two wickets each for Jack Meek and Matt Scholey as they lost half their wickets for 51, but Pierce, with an unbeaten 37, rallied the side and had added 45 for the seventh wicket with keeper Lewis Mallinson when the weather intervened. 

 

Our congratulations go to Warmsworth on their win, and commiserations to Penistone, who contributed in full to a well-fought contest. Our thanks are due to Darfield CC for hosting, to match manager Linzey Scothern for organising, and to match officials Nick Dinsdale, Pete Sporne, Isobel Brooke and Tina Monaghan, who had a difficult conclusion to the match to deal with. 

 

 

With two Saturdays left, there are still four teams who have a mathematical chance of winning the Premier Division. Leaders Cleethorpes are now 12 points ahead of Wakefield Thornes, with Doncaster Town and Tickhill a further six points in arrears after Saturday’s results. Cleethorpes lost the Lincolnshire derby at Brumby Hall, thanks largely to home skipper Alex Grimes, whose 86 was by some distance the highest score of the game, and enabled his side to post 199-9 in their 50 overs. Cleethorpes were 35-3 before thirties from Tom Keast, Harry Clewett and David Mansfield took them to 110-4, but Jack Harrison (3-32) and Paul Hilton (3-35) bowled the hosts to a 43-run win. At Field Lane, Kieran Donnachie (92) put on 99 for Wakefield Thornes’ first wicket against Cawthorne with James Rhodes (45), and then 72 for the second with Joe Billings (92), whilst Archie Greaves took three wickets for the visitors. In reply, Dylan Hurst (3-54) and Brad Green (3-44) reduced Cawthorne to 58-6 before Liam Wiles (36), keeper Harry Wilkinson (44*) and Thomas Jones (50) helped them to a more respectable 198 all out. The two Doncaster clubs met at the Eco Power Oval, where Connor Fisher (5-27) and Rhett Bridgens (3-42) bowled hosts Doncaster Town out for 127, only Harsha Rajapaksha (44) offering much resistance. In the visitors’ reply, Duncan Heath took 5-22 and George Cowan 4-29 and Tickhill were all out for 81. Barnsley Woolley Miners ensured their safety in the division by beating Sheffield Collegiate at Abbeydale. Stevie Walters (37) top-scored for the visitors and Tate Miller took 3-43 as they were all out for 171. Shaaiq Choudhry made 39 in Collegiate’s reply but Ollie Jackson took 4-10 in ten overs, whilst Adam Copley returned 3-33, as the hosts were bowled out for 123 in reply. Treeton live to fight another day after beating Whitley Hall at Washfield Road. Zak Jahangir (66) and skipper Sam Drury (43*) led the hosts to 211-5, then Charlie Bourne took 5-31 and with support from Joe Norbury (3-8), the visitors were bowled out for 123. A victory over Shiregreen at the Al-Murad Stadium was not enough to save Elsecar from relegation. Former Shiregreen favourite Arsalan Mir (77) led the way for the hosts, and with support from Aarush Shinde (34) and Tanzeel Ali (50), the hosts reached 244-7. Opener Haris Khan made 83 in reply, but Haider Jahangir took 5-61, and with 3-37 from Mir, the visitors were all out for 194. 

 

Championship Division leaders Wickersley Old Village bowled Wath out for 185 at Northfield Lane. After keeper Simon Ward had given Wath a positive start, scoring 71 out of an opening stand of 98 with skipper Rob Barlow, there were three wickets each for skipper Iftikhar Afzal, Dylan Smythe and Mark Cummins. Ben Simpson then made 50 at the top of the order for the hosts, and Hamzah Younis weighed in with an unbeaten 37, as the hosts reached their target with three wickets and seven balls to spare, Shawn Hopkins taking 3-33 for Wath. Second-placed Hallam were 129-9 against Sprotbrough, Akhil Akhil (4-18) and Dean Williamson (4-55) having done most of the damage, and were grateful for James Smedley’s unbeaten 33 at number ten to take them to 169 all out against Sprotbrough at Melton Road. In reply, the hosts struggled from the start against Edward Burch (4-40) and there were three wickets for Arjith Ravi, and only a sixth-wicket stand of 52 between Will Rudkin and Joe Toole enabled Sprotbrough to reach 143 all out. Ackworth are still in the promotion race in third place after beating Rockingham Colliery at Hoyland Common. Shinghi Masakadza (5-44) and Luke Townsend (4-36) had the hosts in trouble at 82-7 after opener Ben Dalton had departed for 41, but Zobair Khaliq (39) and Jawad Akhtar (34*) helped lift them to 153 all out. It was not enough though, Mohammad Khan (42) and Townsend (41*) taking the visitors to a four-wicket win in the 48th over. Aston Hall’s only defeat in their last six games has been a narrow one to leaders Wickersley, and they moved into the top half of the table by beating Whiston Parish Church at Church Fields. Opener Arman Jaffer (149 off 140 balls) put on 62 for the second wicket with keeper Bilal Afzal (42) for the hosts, but after that it was a one-man show, and Jaffer was out with just two balls left as Whiston closed on 245-9, Tom Coulson taking 4-47 and Nazakat Khan 3-63. In reply, Nathan Ward (84) put on 67 for the first wicket with Tanvir Singh (34) and 100 for the second with keeper Ollie Wainwright (37) to set the visitors on their way to a two-wicket win with seven balls to spare. Barnsley Woolley Miners 2nds’ hopes of survival took another knock when they were bowled out for 84 by Sheffield Collegiate 2nds at Shaw Lane, Dylan McDonald taking 3-20 for the visitors. Dan Old was then unbeaten on 45 when Collegiate completed an eight-wicket win in the 18th over. Opener Zaki Anjam (34) and Danish Hussain (33) were the principal contributors to Houghton Main’s 138 against Doncaster Town 2nds at Middlecliffe Lane, whilst Oscar Harris (4-24) and Max Garbutt (3-45) were amongst the wickets for the visitors. Harris then made 60 off 39 balls when the visitors replied, and he put on 86 for the second wicket with Jack Woodiwiss, who was unbeaten on 41 when Town completed a seven-wicket win the 21st over. 

 

Oughtibridge War Memorial strengthened their position at the top of Division 1 by beating relegated Elsecar 2nds at Waterside Gardens. Only opener Callum Johnson (67) provided prolonged resistance to the hosts’ attack, in which Tuffail Dar took 3-23; then Naveed Arif (46) and Michael Brown (55*) put on 90 for the first wicket as Oughtibridge eased to a nine-wicket win in the 35th over. Second-placed Tickhill 2nds were beaten at home by Upper Haugh after bowling the visitors out for 145, with Joel Martin taking 4-43 and Ibrahim Safi 3-30. But Habil Arshad took 7-22 in 15 overs when Tickhill replied, and they were all out for 113. Tickhill’s defeat and Darfield’s comfortable win over relegation-threatened Aston Hall 2nds at Green Lane kept the School Lane side in with a chance of finishing in the top two. Opener Mark Barnard (56) and Declan Ward (53) helped the hosts to 218-9, whilst there were three wickets each for Saman Kursheed and skipper Joe Stickland. In reply, Matt Lambert (77) and Stickland (67*) put on 107 for the second wicket, then keeper Jabari Mills hit an unbeaten 42 off 29 balls as Darfield won by eight wickets with 17 overs to spare. Rhys Mann. (108*) and Siddarth Ahhuja (91) put on 190 for Warmsworth’s second wicket at home to Wakefield Thornes 2nds, as they posted an impressive 289-4. In reply, opener Joe Cuthbertson made 51 and Jonathan Scott (79*) put on 99 for the seventh wicket with skipper Rob Stephenson (34) to take the visitors to 215-7 and two bonus points that may yet prove valuable in keeping them in the division, whilst Ahhuja claimed three victims in a fine all-round performance. Thirties for Hedar Rasool and Asjad Shah helped Rotherham Town to 155 all out at home to Wickersley Old Village 2nds, for whom Adam Whitford took 4-47 and Charlie Harrison 3-36. In reply, the visitors reached their target with two wickets and eleven balls to spare. 

 

Division 2 champions Coal Aston were 125-6 against Parkhead at Ecclesall Road before Harry Simpson (41) and Daniel Hemingway (52) put on 65 for the seventh wicket and took them up to 247 all out, Harry Pollard taking 4-82 for the hosts. Parkhead were 45-5 in reply before David Spilman (42) gave them some respectability, and they were all out for 134 with Oscar Oborne Corby taking 4-43 and Michael Hunter 4-41. A second-successive defeat for second-placed Penistone, this time at home to Hatfield Town, means that they cannot yet claim their promotion. Jack Meek took 4-14 as the visitors were bowled out for 105 in a low-scoring game, but then Shehzad Hussain (4-16) and James Winstanley (4-12) did the damage when the hosts were all out for 72 in reply and Hatfield kept their survival chances alive. Hallam 2nds are still in with a chance of promotion after beating Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds at Crimicar. Arjun Sumanth (41) and William Coates (75) put on 80 for the hosts’ first wicket, then Tom Burford made 39 and Jamie Stone 46 off 32 balls in their 259 all out, Lahiru Lihinikadu taking 3-59. In reply, the visitors were restricted to 223-9, despite the efforts of opener Joseph Boyden (51) and Sher Khan (64), whilst Noah Murphy took 3-68. Monk Bretton kept their promotion hopes alive with a win over Sheffield United at Bawtry Road. Scott Latimer (3-9) and Ashley Clayton (3-18) helped them bowl their hosts out for 127, opener Hasim Yasin top-scoring with 38. In reply, Ben Davis was unbeaten on 48 when Monk Bretton passed their target for the loss of seven wickets with two overs to spare, Faiz Hussain taking 3-42. Thorpe Hesley & High Green moved up to fifth with a comprehensive win over Treeton 2nds at Smithywood Road. Ali Shah made 41 for the visitors but Jordan Hanson took 3-33 as they were bowled out for 101. Tiger Dalby and Elliot Couldwell then put on an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 73 to see Thorpe Hesley home in the 14th over. 

 

Leaders Norton Woodseats were given a hard game by Caribbean Sports at Matthews Lane in Division 3. After being put in to bat, Sports were bowled out for 134, Andrew Scott taking 5-30 and Saqib Shah 3-30; then Shahzad Hussain made 43 to help Woodseats to a three-wicket win with three balls to spare. Sheffield Collegiate 3rds leapfrogged Millhouses Works when they beat them at Abbeydale to move within 12 points of the leaders. Opener Nick Gaywood (35) and Shafiullah Shinwari (60) helped Collegiate post 188-5, and in reply, Gaywood (3-30) and Rubaiyat Abrar (3-52) were amongst the wickets as Millhouses were bowled out for 152, despite 39 from Kieren O’Sullivan and 48 from skipper Lee Stewart. Cawthorne 2nds kept their promotion hopes alive with a crushing win at home to Norton Oakes. Ryan Gibson returned 9.4-7-14-8 as Oakes were bundled out for 52, then Spencer Wiles was unbeaten on 36 off 20 balls when the hosts completed a ten-wicket win in six overs. Paul Wroe (51) and keeper George Deegan (41) helped Higham to 160 away to Bradfield Village Fellowship, for whom James Shepherd took 8-25. Bradfield then kept their survival hopes alive as Ashley Statham (50*) and Shepherd (44) took them to a four-wicket win, despite 4-27 from Gareth Kilburn. In a bottom-three battle at Woolley, keeper Darren Schofield (38) and skipper Jack Pearson (50) put on 85 for Thorncliffe & Wentworth’s fourth wicket against Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds before an unbeaten 91 off 51 balls took them up to 273-5. In reply, opener Rikki Sephton made 45, but the hosts had slumped to 145-8, Callum Ratcliffe taking 4-52, before Dairen Hirst-Spalding and Ollie Chapman Stott (70 off 48 balls) added 97 for the ninth wicket and they ended 24 runs sort on 249-9. James Kennedy (79) and Zarmash Tarakhil (105) put on 169 for Worsbrough Bridge’s first wicket at home to Kexborough, and they reached 273-7, Thomas Green taking 3-59 for the visitors. Kexborough were 56-5 in reply, but Joseph Bullock made 99 and they were all out for 213, as Kennedy, Lewis and Mark Wilkinson took three wickets each. 

 

Frecheville Community retained their ten-point lead at the top of Division 4 by beating Wombwell Main at the Hobson Bowl. Opener Matthew Tonks (54) and Luke Copley (53*) helped the visitors to 202-8 and there were three wickets each for Todd Saxelby and David Ratcliffe. In reply, Waris Abbas (48*) and Ratcliffe (43*) put together an unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership of 82 to take Frecheville to a five-wicket win with seven overs to spare. Second-placed Stocksbridge had a very narrow win over Conisbrough 2nds at Park Road. Rob Taylor made 44 and James Tevendale 36 as the visitors were all out for 187, Liam Stainthorpe taking 7-62. In reply, opener Ian Hubery made 58 and Stainthorpe weighed in with 52 in the middle order, but Jake Vickers took 4-47 and Joe Goddard 4-36 as Conisbrough fell three runs short on 184 all out. Upper Haugh 2nds boosted their survival chances by beating relegated Silkstone United at Wentworth Road. Muraad Ghani took 6-20 and Sean Hawkins 3-42 to bowl the visitors out for 137 after skipper Joseph Atkinson had got them off to a decent start with 57 at the top of the order. Opener Matthew Bacon then steered the hosts to a six-wicket win with an unbeaten 86, despite 3-27 from Jack Pepper. Hallam 3rds’ relegation was confirmed after they were beaten by Sprotbrough 2nds at Sandygate. Daniel Credland took 4-32 as the hosts were bowled out for 95, then Sprotbrough claimed a six-wicket win in the 29th over. Aqeel Ahmad (3-16) and Fida Mohammad (3-23) helped Shiregreen 2nds to bowl Rockingham Colliery 2nds out for 74 at Hatfield House Lane, and the hosts then lost five-wickets in reaching their modest target. 

 

There are joint leaders in Division 5, after overnight leaders Sheffield University Staff tied their game away to promotion-contenders Ackworth 2nds. Kevin Booth (72) and Finlay Martin (53*) took the hosts to 207-8, Aden Biddle (4-38) amongst the wickets again for the Staff. In reply, Sabeethan Kanagasinghem (37) and skipper Chiraag Pandya (55) put on 82 for the visitors’ third wicket, but Rajinder Kindra took 3-47 and Liam Gray was run out off the last ball of the innings whilst going for the winning run. Coal Aston 2nds are level at the top after comfortably beating previously second-placed Barnby Dun at Stonelow. William Ross’s unbeaten 93 took the hosts to 246-8 after they had been 98-5; then Eliot Tye took 4-39 and Joshua Cross 4-30 as Barnby Dun were all out for 139 in reply, Shaun Fell making 59. Frederick Stevens took 4-51 as Fishlake bowled Maltby Miners Welfare out for 122, and skipper Charlie Metcalfe hit an unbeaten 65 as Fishlake completed a seven-wicket win in the 35th over. Whiston Forge beat Rotherham Town at Guilthwaite Hill, after 59 from Matthew Beevers and 55 from Stan Cowles had taken them to 247-8, despite Harry Beever’s 5-48 for the visitors. In reply, Omar Waine (45) and keeper Basharat Ali (57) put on 98 for the first wicket and Mahamood Hussain (41) and Fida Hussain (45*) made valuable contributions in the middle order, but Michael Raleigh took 3-67 as Rotherham were restricted to 235-7. Owen Struggles took 7-27 in 12.2 overs for Whiston Parish Church 2nds as they bowled Darfield 2nds out for 108 at School Lane, then Dale Stanley hammered an unbeaten 85 off 37 balls (ten fours, six sixes) to help the visitors race to a seven-wicket win inside ten overs. Whiston then completed a successful weekend by beating Wickersley Old Village 3rds at Church Fields on Sunday. Skipper Tristan Alfred was unbeaten on 95 when the visitors posted 164-7, then Harrison Struggles made 52 to help Whiston pass their target for the loss of seven wickets in the 34th over, Harry Marshall taking 3-25 for Wickersley. 

 

Division 6 leaders Warmsworth 2nds had their lead trimmed to two points after their Sunday defeat to fellow promotion-contenders Whitley Hall 3rds at Baxter Field. Put in to bat, the visitors were indebted to skipper Kelvin Defty, whose 80 was the main contribution to their 172-8, Alistair Riddle taking 4-19 for Whitley. In reply, Matthew Brown (34) and keeper Ben Gillott (41) put on 79 for the hosts’ second wicket as they completed a five wicket win with 11 balls to spare. Hatfield Town 2nds missed the chance to take over at the top when they were beaten at home to Penistone 2nds. Carl Norris (63) and Carl Walton (41), who put on 80 for the second wicket, were the main contributors to the hosts’ 195-7, whilst Michael Brown took 3-33. Openers Sam Lee (82) and Scott Hammond (43) then put Penistone firmly on the route to victory, which was achieved by four wickets with nine balls left. Caribbean Sports 2nds improved their survival chances by beating Sheffield United 2nds, who are now eight points ahead of them immediately above the relegation zone. Zarkhan Abrahimkhil (3-28) and Muhammad Usman (3-3) helped Caribbean dismiss United for 150, Safiullah Stanikzai top-scoring with 47. In reply, skipper Makie Mulaffar, with an unbeaten 62 at the top of the order, led his side to a three-wicket win with two and a half overs left. Level with Caribbean are Handsworth Junior SC 2nds, who similarly boosted their survival hopes by beating Millhouses Works 2nds at Millhouses Park. Hamza Hussain (37) and Mohammed Fiaz (70) got the visitors off to a good start with an opening stand of 70, and although Asif Raja (4-41) and James Evans (4-17) bowled Millhouses back into the game, a total of 159 all out proved sufficient for Handsworth, who bowled Millhouses out for 105 in reply, Hamza Hussain taking 3-30. The bottom two sides met at Royd Lane, where Higham leapfrogged Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds after bowling them out for 73, Steven Bamforth returning 10-6-7-5 and Luke Woodhouse taking 3-10. Higham lost only one wicket in knocking off the required runs in the 17th over. Skipper Thomas Arnold made 85 out of his sides’ 163 all out against Mexborough Athletic at the Beecroft Estates ground.; Jonathan Guest (4-34) and Matthew Russell (3-34) doing most of the damage for the hosts. Arnold completed a fine all-round game with 4-36 and with good support from Dominic Proctor (3-19) Mexborough were bowled out for 140 in reply, skipper Elliot Hunt contributing 46 at the top of the order. 

 

There is no change at the top of Division 7, where the top four all picked up 12 points. Leaders Green Moor beat Sprotbrough 3rds at Bullcroft after Harry Airstone’s 35 helped them to 106 all out, William Braithwaite and Eric Brown both picking up three wickets; then Airstone took 6-17 as the hosts were bowled out for 54 in reply. Scholes & Harley are four points behind the leaders after Craig Moffatt (6.4-4-6-4) and Tom Wade (3-36) did the damage when they bowled Doncaster Town 3rds out for 86 at Scholes, Ramanan Rajasunderam (37) top-scoring for the visitors. Scholes then passed their target for the loss of three wickets in 16 overs. Jasneet Gulati (10-6-9-3) was again to the fore when Brookhouse bowled Stockbridge 2nds out for 80 at Bracken Moor, and the visitors knocked off the required runs for the loss of two wickets in the 17th over. Adwick-le-Street picked up their 12 points when Houghton Main 2nds conceded their game. Isaac Wilkes (5-39) and Adrianna Darlow (3-34) did most of the damage when Barnsley Woolley Miners 4ths bowled Eden Grove Parklands out for 153 at Parklands, Simon White making 38 at the top of the order for the hosts. In reply, Craig Wilkes (33) and Oliver Heseltine (36) put on 66 for the first wicket to set up Barnsley’s three-wicket win in the 38th over. Jonny Davidson made 64 out of Norton Oakes 2nds’ 186-6 against Upper Haugh 3rds at Oakes Park. In reply, skipper Tim Whitehouse (38) and Lucas Hawke (71) put on 96 for the sixth wicket to rescue the visitors from 34-5, but with Nelson Stephen taking 3-26 and Tom Bassindale 3-22, they were all out for 167. 

 

Skipper Thomas Jackson (43) was the top-scorer for promoted Parkhead 2nds against Barnby Dun 2nds in their 201-6 at Glass Park in Division 8. In reply, Jake Harris (39) and Haydn Briggs (41) put on 81 for the hosts’ sixth wicket after they were 62-5, but James Speck (5-29) and Ian Davis (5-30) combined to bowl them out for 170. Hallam 4ths in third place still have a mathematical chance of promotion after beating second-placed Rockingham Colliery 3rds at Stainborough, thereby delaying the hosts’ own promotion celebrations. Keeper Alfred Sheridan made 53 in the visitors’ 174 all out, and there were three wickets each for Callum Woodhead, Simon Grindle and Noah Shore. In reply, keeper Tyler Jowitt made 59 at the top of the order, but Neev Joshi (3-19) and Thomas Siddall (3-25) were amongst the wickets as Rockingham were restricted to 158-9. At the I-Source Stadium, Billy Smith took 5-21 as Frecheville Community 2nds were bowled out for 129 by Wombwell Main 2nds, and then openers Adam Wallace (54) and Chris Ferris (63*) ensured victory for the hosts, who won by eight wickets inside 20 overs. Jak Stafford (45) and thirties from Matty Woods and Thomas Woods helped Kexborough 2nds to 165-9 at home to Worsbrough Bridge 2nds, whilst Leon Kemp (4-28) and Alex Tonge (4-25) were the main wicket-takers for the visitors. In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 75 with James Stoddart taking 5-28 and Cameron Parker 3-8. Norton Woodseats 2nds conceded to Monk Bretton 2nds. 

 

Division 9 leaders Thorncliffe & Wentworth 2nds had a huge win over Eden Grove Parklands 2nds at Lound Side. Callum Pearce (128*) put on 175 for the hosts’ second wicket with keeper Jacob Grubb (84) and an unbroken 153 for the third with Jacob Moorhouse (65*) as they racked up 330-2. In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 42, with Tom Swift taking 4-18 and James Shuttleworth 3-13. Second-placed Dearne also had an emphatic win, this over Brookhouse 2nds at Rose Lane. Keeper Elliot Freeborough (40) and Nick Petty (60) enabled the visitors to reach 219-7, Andy Ellis taking 3-35, before Malcolm Day took 5-10 as the hosts were bowled out for 79 in reply. Silkstone United 2nds are only two points behind Dearne, and kept up their challenge with a comfortable win over Scholes & Harley 2nds at Barnsley Road. Opener Philip Ruston scored 43 and Joe Green 44 in Silkstone’s 201 all out, Sam Ferris taking 5-57 for the visitors, then Scholes were restricted to 115-8 in reply. Whiston Forge 2nds conceded to Wath 3rds.