Senior Section round-up 28 August - Part I

 

 

Bottom side Aston Hall 2nds’ vital home win against Whitley Hall 2nds left them with a slim chance of avoiding relegation. Batting first, the hosts did well to post a solid total as they made their way to 217-9. Dean Smith provided the platform for a decent score, whilst extras, frustratingly for the away side, ended as Aston Hall’s third top-scorer (27). All of Whitley Hall’s bowlers took wickets but will have been disappointed to concede more runs than they would have hoped. The second innings started swimmingly for the away side as they made their way to 157-3, with James Ahmed totting up 64 runs from 109 balls. After the top order had been removed, however, they collapsed as Fida Mohammad ripped through their tail. Mohammad ended with 5-41, while Tim Shaw took 4-37 and Whitley Hall were bowled out 22 runs short. 

 

Aston Hall 2 217-9 (50) Tim Shaw 35, Dean Smith 56 

Whitley Hall 2 195 (48.1) James Ahmed 64, Chris Verity 46, Fida Mohammad 5-41 

 

 

Darfield defeated Rotherham Town with an impressive performance to move closer to their opponents, who are a place above them in third place. After electing to bat, the home side did exactly what they hoped, posting an imposing total. Wickets fell regularly, but the top order scored heavily; led by Luke Aitken’s half-century, and supported Saman Khursheed and Josh Care. They were eventually bowled out for 223 with 2.5 overs to spare as Irfan Mirza picked up five more wickets. The total did, however, prove to be too much for Town to chase as they fell 91 runs short. Their top score was just 22 from Tauseef Arifeen as they collapsed with the help of an excellent 5-34 from Carlton Dickinson, his best figures of the season. 

 

Darfield 223 (47.1) Josh Care 43, Saman Kursheed 47, Luke Aitken 50, Waqas Mahroof 3-53, Irfan Mirza 5-59 

Rotherham T 132 (27.3) Usman Khan 3-37, Carlton Dickinson 5-34 

 

 

Green Moor’s hopes of beating Shiregreen to the Division 1 title were all but dashed when they were beaten by the league leaders. The visitors decided to bat first but fell well short of where they will have wanted to be, being bowled out for 144. Callum Johnson was the only shining light in a disappointing innings with a half-century whilst others fell around him. Muhammad Naseem was their main protagonist with the ball, picking up the impressive figures of 5-18, to take his wickets tally for the season to 33. Shiregreen’s reply did not start well, when ducks for Kamran Khan and Hammad Usman left them 1-2. The middle order came to the rescue, however, with Aslam Hayat’s 42 off 47 balls setting them on their way to victory before Mobashar Ilyas Raja’s brisk unbeaten 31 left them with one hand on the title. 

 

Green Moor 144 (49) Callum Johnson 55, Afzaal Ahmed 3-41, Muhammad Naseem 5-18 

Shiregreen 145-6 (33.4) Aslam Hyat 42, Mobashar Ilyas Raja 31*, Jonathan Sanders 3-34 

 

 

Sheffield United’s monster first innings total lifted them out of the relegation zone as they picked up a crucial win away at South Kirkby. Having been put into bat by their hosts, United’s Mohammed Altaf Khan racked up 107 runs in just 75 balls, his best recorded innings by quite a distance. After he was removed by Bailey Hopkins, it was Luqman Asad’s turn as he blasted an unbeaten 68 from 32 balls to catapult his team to 310-7 in their 50 overs. The second innings was always going to be a tough ask for South Kirkby and scoreboard pressure took its toll as they fell to 70-9, before number eleven Ricky Crompton’s unbeaten 36 off 42 balls took them to some respectability. Mihindukulusuriya Harsha Perera was, yet again, the star bowler for United and his 4-42 took him to 50 wickets for the season and saw South Kirkby bowled out for 132. 

 

Sheffield U 310-7 (46) Danuka Hettierachchi 41, Mohammed Altaf Khan 107, Fazil Reza 34, Luqman Asad 68* 

South Kirkby C 132 (35) Ricky Crompton 36*, Mihindukulasuriya Harsha Perera 4-42 

 

 

Hallam 2nds’ win against Treeton 2nds left them equal on points with Sheffield United, just a place away from escaping relegation. The home side elected to bat first but their total fell just below par, being bowled out for 172 in the 41st over. No player passed fifty, with James Hobson and Abid Younas both contributing thirties, and did extras (32). Both Nick Cooper and Nick Watson Jones took three wickets for the away side, but the bowling attack will have been disappointed to gift Treeton so many runs. However, the visitors’ batsmen made surprisingly light work of the chase, despite what appeared to be a challenging total. Jack Snelling and Jack Unwin led their side to the win, both scoring measured 62s before Mark Keen’s vital unbeaten 25 saw them to victory and into a good position to avoid the drop. 

 

Treeton 2 172 (40.5) James Hobson 33, Abid Younas 33, Nick Cooper 3-31, Nick Watson Jones 3-49 

Hallam 2 176-4 (45.4) Jack Snelling 62, Jack Unwin 62 

 

 

Upper Haugh’s latest loss away at Wakefield Thornes leaves them in real danger of relegation with two matches to go. After winning the toss, the away side chose to bat, but fell well short of a good total, being bowled out for just 112. No-one made it into the thirties, and all five of the home side’s bowlers picked up at least one wicket. Jawad Akhtar and James Donnachie were the picks of the bunch, taking three wickets each, the latter taking his wickets total for the season to 36. The chase was pretty much a formality for the home side, especially after the opening partnership put on 55 together. A mini-collapse saw them fall to 99-5, but it was never going to stop the win, which came in just 19 overs. 

 

Upper Haugh 112 (37.4) James Donnachie 3-21, Jawad Akhtar 3-41 

Wakefield T 2 113-5 (19) Joe Cuthbertson 35 

 

 

 

It was another poor week for bottom-of-the-division Elsecar, who they took on second-placed Coal Aston and were beaten by four wickets. After being asked to bat first, Elsecar were soon 26-4, before captain Andrew Ivill, Harrison Hayes and Richard Stump all contributed twenties and enabled them to reach a relatively respectable score. Laurence Browes was outstanding for the visitors, taking 5-44. Coal Aston knocked off the runs inside 32 overs, with Benjamin Hall’s half-century leading the way, but not before Molly Whittaker took four of the six wickets to fall. 

 

Elsecar 2 144 (42.4) Lawrence Browes 5-44 

Coal Aston 145-6 (31.3) Benjamin Hall 52, Molly Whittaker 4-40 

 

 

There was another great win for top-of-the-division Doncaster Town, who beat Monk Bretton by five wickets. The home team elected to bat first, but were all out in the 43rd over. After opener Corey Roebuck was out, no-one else reached 20. Bradley Heaps took the first two wickets for the visitors, before Graeme Attenborough destroyed the middle-order. Heaps and Attenborough led with bat too – Heaps top-scoring with 31 and Attenborough contributing an unbeaten 29 at the end to see his side home in some comfort. 

 

Monk Bretton 126 (43.1) Corey Roebuck 35, Bradley Heaps 3-17, Graeme Attenborough 5-27 

Doncaster T 2 129-5 (31.3) Bradley Heaps 31, Craig Heppenstall 3-29 

 

 

Norton Oakes won a crucial victory that should ensure their safety in the division, whilst Frecheville are still one place below safety. After electing to bat first, Frecheville posted a disappointing 126 runs, with twenties from David Ratcliffe and Jake Kempton being the only contributions of substance, whilst Ted Hutchings took 3-33 for the home side. Oakes chased down the target in just 26 overs; opener Iwan Hutchings dominating with a fine half-century, whilst captain James Thompson was unbeaten on 26 at the end. 

 

Frecheville C 126 (42.1) Ted Hutchings 3-33, Iwan Hutchings 3-26 

Norton Oakes 130-3 (26) Iwam Hutchings 57 

 

 

Third-placed Sheffield Collegiate kept the pressure on at the top when they beat lowly Thorncliffe. After electing to bat first, the visitors posted an impressive 238-4 in their 50 overs; Adrian Meadows getting them off to a brisk start and Jack Dixon anchoring the innings, with useful supporting knocks from Nick Gaywood, Lewis Bent and Jonathan Udall (28*). James Toal and Jacob Grubb got the home side’s reply off to a solid start, and after Grubb was out, Aaron Whitaker (22) helped take them to 91-1 before being dismissed by Gaywood. There was then a collapse, with Jack Dixon claiming three wickets, to 110-8. Toal departed at 158, and an unbeaten 42 from Jason Clark only gave Thorncliffe respectability. 

 

Sheffield C 3 238-4 (50) Adrian Meadows 33, Jack Dixon 77, Nick Gaywood 30, Lewis Bent 47* 

Thorncliffe 186 (49.3) James Toal 64, Jason Clark 42*, Jack Dixon 3-56 

 

 

Both sides are occupying safe mid-table positions after the weekend, but it Wickersley are just one place above the drop zone and will be rueing the defeat. The home side elected to bat first and skipper Tiger Dalby led them to a healthy score after a shaky start against Charlie Harrison and Jonathan Allen. Wickersley too lost early wickets and despite the efforts of wicket-keeper Jack Roberts, struggled against the visitors’ attack, in which five men took a couple of wickets each. 

 

Thorpe Hesley & High Green 221 (45.1) Tiger Dalby 104, Charlie Harrison 4-54, Jonathan Allan 3-24 

Wickersley OV 2 189 (50) Jack Roberts 63* 

 

 

Worsbrough Bridge failed to get the win they badly needed in their fight against relegation, going down by 39 runs to mid-table Norton Woodseats. After electing to bat first, visitors never really cut loose, but opener Neil Johnson got them off to a decent start, upon which Hamzah Shah built with a fine half-century, whilst Adam Robinson was the pick of the home attack. A target of 191 soon looked out of reach for the home side, with Ali Shah and Sam Hudson taking a couple of wickets each as Worsbrough slipped to 66-5. Mark Wilkinson then provided some resistance with his unbeaten 39, but Aamir Ashfaque was too good for the rest of the batting and Worsbrough fell short. 

 

Norton Woodseats 190-7 (46) Neil Johnson 34, Hamzah Shah 52, Adam Robinson 3-46 

Worsbrough Bridge 151 (40.5) Mark Wilkinson 39, Aamir Ashfaque 5-34 

 

 

 

Sprotbrough 2nds’ emphatic win over Barnsley kept them in third place and helped them maintain pressure on Caribbean above them. The visitors put their hosts into bat, hoping to bowl them out cheaply, and they did just that, removing them for just 94. Adrianna Darlow’s 38 was the outstanding contribution for the home side in an otherwise highly disappointing innings, in which no one else made it to double figures. Tim Braithwaite, Alex Rudkin, Adam Kaye and Nigel Young all took two wickets and for the visitors. Sprotbrough breezed to the target in their reply, keeping all ten wickets intact, with Callum Marsh joining Alex Rudkin, who backed up a good bowling performance with his half century, in an unbroken opening stand of 98. 

 

Barnsley WM 3 94 (38.5) Adrianna Darlow 38 

Sprotbrough 2 98-0 (22.2) Alex Rudkin 53, Callum Marsh 34 

 

 

Penistone eased to victory at home to an inconsistent Oughtibridge 2nds side to move ever closer to the Division 3 title. After putting their visitors into bat, they bowled them out cheaply; all six bowlers taking wickets, with Marcus Hoyland the pick of the bunch with 3-22. For Oughtibridge the only significant contributions were from Denis Smith and Shahrukh Khan (27). Penistone lost only three wickets in their reply and never really looked like losing the game; James Sen saw them home after Tom Reid had given them a solid start at the top of the order. 

 

Oughtibridge WM 2 128 (37.1) Denis Smith 30, Marcus Hoyland 3-22 

Penistone 130-3 (33.1) Tom Reid 33, James Sen 42* 

 

 

Kexborough thrashed bottom side Maltby Miners Welfare at home to stay fifth in the table. After electing to bowl first they bowled the visitors out cheaply, with only three players making it into double figures. In another brilliant bowling effort, Neil Hinchcliffe picked up six wickets for just eight runs in 13 overs, to move to 44 wickets this season, Lewis Bray taking the other four for 19 runs. Kexborough replied a little shakily, losing three wickets, but they were never going to lose the game. Danny Bowering saw them home with an unbeaten 26 after Alec Grange had set them on the way with 28. 

 

Maltby MW 90 (39.2) Neil Hinchliffe 6-8, Lewis Bray 4-19 

Kexborough 92-3 (26.3) 

 

 

Caribbean dispatched Rockingham 2nds, after posting a big first innings total, to remain in the second promotion place. The high-fliers elected to bat first and never really looked back from there as their top order scored heavily. The star of the show was undoubtedly Hussnain Hussain with a brilliant unbeaten 106, that was well backed up by Mazar Sharif, Haroon Tariq and Daanish Latif. The end result was a total that was nearly impossible for a struggling Rockingham Colliery side to chase in their losing battle for survival. The home side were bowled out for 124 with Arslan Tariq yet again outstanding with the ball for Caribbean. His latest five-wicket haul took him to a highly-impressive 64 wickets for the season. 

 

Caribbean SC 295-5 (46) Haroon Tariq 48, Mazar Sharif 50, Hussnain Hussain 106, Daanish Latif 46 

Rockingham C 2 124 (35.4) Andy Shore 41, Joe Evans 37, Arslan Tariq 5-30, Daanish Latif 3-26 

 

 

Silkstone United failed to defend a decent total at home to Tickhill 2nds and finally lost their battle for survival in the division. After electing to bat, the hosts posted a very respectable 193-6 that could take pressure off the bowlers. Robert Wade was the star at the top of the order, with his 82 being the top score by quite a distance, taking him to an impressive 764 runs for the season. The positivity, however, soon diminished in the second innings as Tickhill produced a remarkable chase to win for the loss of just two wickets. After Nick Page was dismissed for a duck, and Paul Shepherd departed for 35, Matthew Kilvington and Neil Conchie put on 136 unbeaten runs together to ease to the target. Kilvington was the aggressor, ending with 81 off 103 balls. 

 

Silkstone U 193-6 (46) Robert Wade 82, Joseph Mosley 36 

Tickhill 2 194-2 (36.3) Paul Shepherd 35, Matthew Kilvington 81, Neil Conchie 52* 

 

 

Wath 2nds’ excellent win at Churchfields left them with an outside chance of promotion. After electing to bat, the home side posted an imposing total, with Sam Bowden producing one of the best innings in the division this season but ending on the losing side, as he scored a brilliant unbeaten 123 (116 balls), including 16 fours and three sixes. The magnitude of his efforts was highlighted by the fact that the next top score was just 29. All-in-all Whiston, and especially Bowden, will have been the happier of the two sides between the innings. Two early wickets left them in a decent position when Wath were 60-2, but 66 from Matthew Hays followed by an unbeaten 65 (70) from Ryan Tingle, took the game away from the home side and the visitors chased down the total for the loss of just four wickets. 

 

Whiston PC 2 208-8 (46) Sam Bowden 123* 

Wath 2 212-4 (40.1) Matthew Hays 66, Ryan Tingle 65* 

 

 

 

This game brought together the two sides at the top of the relegation zone and it was Hallam who got the crucial win. After the home team elected to bat first they struggled to 94-7 with Matthew Grime taking three wickets for Hallam. Richard Copley then played a real captain’s innings, lifting his side to a defendable score. Hallam were 14-2 when Thomas Wills came to the crease, and his patient half-century took them to 137-6, at which point Sam Yellops took over, and steered his side to a tense win with just one wicket to spare. 

 

Fishlake 174-8 (46) Dylan Sisman 32, Richard Copley 61, Matthew Grime 3-60 

Hallam 3 177-9 (43.4) Thomas Wills 57, Sam Yellops 33*, Keith Bee 4-53 

 

 

Higham are safe in mid-table, and with no pressure, coasted to an easy win over a Mexborough side that are now relegated. Only skipper Jamie Lomas (25) provided any resistance as Joshua Bird, Ben Wood and George Deegan ripped through the visitors’ batting. After the early loss of Glen Burden, Andrew Wood and Deegan saw their side home in just nine overs. 

 

Mexborough A 67 (25.5) Joshua Bird 3-22, Ben Wood 3-26, George Deegan 4-11 

Higham 68-1 (9) Andew Wood 32*, George Deegan 31* 

 

Parkhead v Bradfield Village Fellowship 

 

The battle of the top two in the division resulted in a win for visitors Bradfield, but both teams should still celebrate promotion. The visitors elected to bat first, and opener Will Higson played an anchor role, not being dismissed until the score was 163-8. His main support came from Paul Ellis (25) and Adam Broughton, the latter becoming one of three victims for Chris Turner. Many might have backed Parkhead to overhaul a target of 171, but after reaching 83-3 they lost their last seven wickets for 61. Only Christian Millard and Parwan Ali really came to terms with Bradfield’s Broughton, Will Higson and Tim Pearce. 

 

Bradfield VF 171 (45.2) Will Higson 58, Adam Broughton 31, Chris Turner 3-14 

Parkhead 144 (37.2) Christin Millard 35, Parwan Ali 35, Adam Broughton 3-40, Will Higson 3-32, Tim Pearce 3-27 

 

 

Fourth-placed Sheffield Collegiate took on relegation-threatened Millhouses Works and cantered to a straightforward win. The visitors elected to bat first and, although Iain Mallett and Tom Roper put on 44 for the first wicket, they could not build on the start and with Mark and Daniel Longley taking four wickets each. A target of 119 was never going to cause Collegiate too much problem, and after experienced opener Charlie Wall had contributed a positive 31, fellow opener Daniel Longley played an anchor role, helping them to reach 98-2 before falling to George Henderson, after which Mark Hickman finished the job off. 

 

Millhouses Works 118 (29.3) Mark Longley 4-24, Daniel Longley 4-43 

Sheffield C 4 121-3 (45) Charlie Wall 31, Mark Hickman 31*