Senior Section round-up for 23 July

 

The top two both lost in Division 1 this weekend, and third-placed Upper Haugh closed the gap to Darfield in second to just four points. League leaders Doncaster Town 2nds suffered a surprise defeat at home to Sheffield Collegiate 3rds, who climbed out of the relegation zone as a result. After being put into bat, the visitors posted 160-8, a target Town would have been confident of reaching. But, even with Gareth Cox’s 95, they fell 12 runs short and were bowled out for 148. Second-placed Darfield’s loss came away to Whitley Hall 2nds, where they were all out for 136 and lost by five wickets. Liam Bacon took 5-33 for the hosts before they chased the total down inside 27 overs. Upper Haugh took advantage of these slips with aplomb, winning by 138 runs at home to South Kirkby. They posted 183 after they were put into bat, before putting on an outstanding bowling display to remove their visitors for 45, with Andy Judge taking 6-12 and Habil Malik 4-21. 

 

At the opposite end of the table, both Warmsworth and Coal Aston remained in the relegation places after losses. Warmsworth’s defeat came at Wakefield Thornes 2nds, where they fell just 19 runs short when chasing 200. Adam Naz’s 108 not out for the home side proved to be a match-winning innings, and he also took 2-41 to help bowl the visitors out for 181. Coal Aston lost at home to Sheffield United by three wickets, after being bowled out for 140. Mihindukulasuriya Harsha Perera took 5-21 to set up United’s win before Danuka Hettiarachchi top-scored with an unbeaten 47. Elsewhere, Oughtibridge War Memorial won at home against Rotherham Town to move ten points above the relegation places, chasing down 160 with five wickets to spare. Chaamikara Hewage took 5-18 in the first innings to set up the win. 

 

Doncaster still lead with 152 points, twelve clear of Darfield; then come Upper Haugh on 136 and Sheffield United on 120. South Kirkby, Coal Aston and Warmsworth make up the bottom three but Collegiate and Rotherham are within six points of tenth-placed South Kirkby. 

 

 

There was a surprise defeat for Wickersley Old Village 2nds this weekend, and Ackworth took advantage by increasing their lead at the top of Division 2. Playing at home to strugglers Monk Bretton, the second-placed side failed to defend a very respectable 212 and lost by three wickets. James Butler had scored 91 for the hosts, but 88 not out from opener Lewis Skelly saw the visitors move closer to safety. Ackworth’s lead at the top grew to thirty points as they brushed aside Penistone at home. Dale Longfield took 5-32 to remove their visitors for 131, with John Wood then hitting 92 not out to help the leaders to a six-wicket win. 

 

Below the top two, third-placed Treeton 2nds won by 91 runs at Norton Oakes to cling on to the final promotion spot. Jonathan Barnes scored 62 as the lower order helped the visitors to 204-9, after they had been 96-6. Michael Hunter’s 4-40 then helped bowl the hosts out for 113. Aston Hall 2nds remained firmly in the chase in third place after their win at Norton Woodseats kept them level on points with Treeton. They defended 210 by a margin of 57 runs, with Yousaf Ali scoring 74 before Henry Renshaw and Harris Ikram took 5-24 and 5-44 respectively to bowl Woodseats out for 153. Elsewhere, both of the bottom two lost their games to remain firmly in the relegation places. Caribbean Sports were beaten at home by Hallam 2nds by four wickets after the visitors chased down a target of 134 to win. The star man was Nick Watson Jones, who took 5-32 in the first innings. Thorpe Hesley & High Green lost away to Hatfield Town by six wickets, after being bowled out for 104 – a total that could have been much worse but for Mateo Boulogne’s 67, whilst James Winstanley and James Stewart took four wickets apiece. 

 

Ackworth now lead Wickersley by 30 points, with a further 18-point gap to Treeton and Aston Hall, who are four ahead of Hallam; 14 points separate Monk Bretton, Caribbean and Thorpe Hesley at the bottom, with a 16-point gap above Monk Bretton to Norton Oakes. 

 

 

It was a landmark weekend in Division 3 as Elsecar 2nds finally lost their first game of the season. Playing third-placed Parkhead, they fell 12 runs short after a strong bowling display had seen them bowl their hosts out for 131. Matthew Tonks took 5-24 for the league leaders, but Thomas Wellman’s 5-49, backed up by 4-34 from James Speck, saw Parkhead claim a great win. It got even better for Parkhead after second-placed Tickhill 2nds’ game away to Sprotbrough 2nds, where they failed to defend 187 and lost by three wickets. Peter Mawdsley scored 50 for visitors, but Alex Rudkin (52) and Callum Marsh set Sprotbrough well on their way to victory with an opening partnership of 99. These results also favoured Wath 2nds, who won away to Bradfield Village Fellowship by eight wickets to stay well in the hunt for promotion. Mark Wilson took 4-38 to help bowl the hosts out for 109, with the twelve points being secured in the 31st over. 

 

At the bottom, Oughtibridge War Memorial 2nds claimed a huge win at Kexborough to boost their hopes of survival. Shahrukh Khan and Muhammad Kashif both took four wickets to bowl the home side out for 120, before Adil Nasim and Mazar Sharif scored 65 and 50 respectively as they coasted to a ten-wicket win. This would have taken them out of the relegation zone had it not been for Worsbrough Bridge’s two-wicket win over bottom team Thorncliffe & Wentworth. Jack Pearson scored 64 from as many balls to give the basement side a chance with a score of 162-9, but their visitors got over the line thanks to a 73-run eighth-wicket partnership between Jabaar Khan and James Kennedy. Elsewhere, Frecheville Community moved well clear of danger with a five-wicket win at home to Whiston Parish Church 2nds. Chasing 130, Daniel Kempton scored 63 not out at the top of the order to take them to victory. 

 

Elsecar remain 24 points clear at the top despite their loss, but Parkhead have cut the gap to second to 18 points, with Wath just six points outside the promotion places in fourth; at the bottom, eight points separate Oughtibridge, Whiston and Thorncliffe in the relegation places, and there is a twelve-point gap from Oughtibridge in tenth to Worsbrough Bridge. 

 

 

Higham moved into the top three in Division 4 at the expense of Cawthorne, who lost away to strugglers Silkstone United. After being bowled out for 100, with Luke Whitmore and Edward Driver taking four wickets each, they were defeated by six wickets. Higham won away to bottom side Maltby Miners Welfare by just nine runs after scoring 162-8 and Joseph Green’s 5-38 ensured that the hosts fell just short. Above them, both the top two sides picked up wins with ease. Second-placed Stocksbridge’s victory was more comfortable, winning by 62 runs away to Rockingham Colliery 2nds; they hit 195-8 after being put into bat, before Andrew Hibbert took 4-36 as they bowled their hosts out 133. League leaders Millhouses Works won at home to Whiston Forge by 29 runs after they were bowled out for 179, with Tom Roper scoring 75. 

 

Elsewhere, there was an important win for Shiregreen 2nds at home to Barnsley Woolley Miners 3rds, as they look to climb away from trouble. They won by just two wickets as they chased down 119 after Akhtar Khan had taken 4-33. There was a similarly close result at Abbeydale, where Handsworth Junior SC beat Sheffield Collegiate 4ths by a single wicket. Collegiate batted first, setting a modest total of 114-9, with Handsworth then making it home by the skin of their teeth despite Oliver Tyas’ 4-29 for the home side. 

 

Millhouses lead by twelve from Stocksbridge, with a further 22-point gap to Higham, whilst Cawthorne are now four points outside the promotion places; at the other end of the table, there is a gap of 16 points between the bottom two and Silkstone in tenth place, whilst Shiregreen are just two points above the relegation places. 

 

 

Doncaster Town 3rds hit the top of Division 5 when they defeated Wombwell Main by 16 runs to overtake them in the title race. Ewan Whittaker top-scored with 69 in Town’s 213-8, whilst Thomas Goldsby-West’s 98 came in vain for the visitors, who fell 16 short. The result was perfect for third-placed Upper Haugh 2nds, who put themselves within touching distance of the promotion places with a 27-run victory away to Rotherham Town 2nds. Shadab Ahmed took 4-25 for Town, putting them in with a real chance as they bowled the visitors out for 107, but Steve Reynolds and Christopher Pearson took four wickets each to leave the hosts all out for 80. 

 

At the opposite end of the table, Darfield 2nds put distance between themselves and danger with an 80-run win at home to Sheffield University Staff, leaving the latter just outside the relegation places. Darfield made 216 all out after being put into bat, with Arsalan Khalid scoring 64, before Charlie Potter took 4-43 to bowl the Staff out for 136. Mexborough remain rock bottom after losing by 54 runs chasing an improbable 241 at home to Hallam 3rds. Tom Womack and Seb Wainwright both passed fifty for the visitors, with Wainwright then taking 5-35 to complete a fine all-round performance. Second-bottom Norton Oakes 2nds also lost, by four wickets, away to Conisbrough 2nds after being bowled out for 123. Fishlake kept alive their outside hopes of promotion with a comfortable eight-wicket win at home to Coal Aston 2nds. Chasing 156 after Richard Copley had taken 5-34, Charlie Metcalfe and Tim Elliot, with unbeaten scores of 81 and 53 respectively, eased Fishlake over the line. 

 

It is very tight at the top with just two points between Doncaster and Wombwell, and Upper Haugh are now just six points outside the promotion places; the bottom two are now 44 points adrift of Hallam, who are engaged in a private battle with the University Staff, four points above them, to avoid the third relegation spot. 

 

 

Four games took place this weekend in Division 6, and the league leaders, Sheffield United 2nds, did not play. This gave the opportunity for second-placed Penistone 2nds to capitalise and move level on points with top spot, but it was one they missed, as they were beaten at home to Bradfield Village Fellowship 2nds. Batting first, the visitors scored just 93 in the first innings, but Penistone fell 20 runs short in reply, David Palazon and Joseph Mabe taking three wickets apiece. 

 

It turned out to be a highly disappointing day for those in the chasing pack. Thorpe Hesley & High Green 2nds, who started the day in third, were hammered by 125 runs by strugglers Caribbean Sports 2nds. Tair Abbas scored 53 for the tenth-placed side, who posted 179-9 before bowling their opponents out for just 54. Wickersley Old Village 3rds did replace them in third place, but only because of the four bonus points they picked up in their one-wicket loss away to Handsworth Junior SC 2nds. Ben Richardson had scored 59 as they set their visitors 187 to win, but a strong performance from top to bottom in the home side’s batting order saw them scrape over the line. Elsewhere, Sprotbrough 3rds are just two points from safety after successfully defending 150 to gain a 13-run win away to Whitley Hall 3rds. Richard Taylor took 5-40 for the home side, but his efforts ultimately came in vain. 

 

Sheffield United still lead by ten from Penistone, with three sides separated by ten points, led by Wickersley, just six points outside the promotion places; Barnsley seem doomed, 58 points from safety, but the two above them, Sprotbrough and Caribbean, are very much still fighting, with Bradfield only two points clear of the bottom three. 

 

 

Division 7 leaders Brookhouse are now the only team in the League to have a 100% record after their latest win, by six-wickets at home to Frecheville Community 2nds. They bowled their visitors out for just 70 before Jonathan Kirk (37 not out) saw them home in a relatively simple chase. Second-placed Higham 2nds also picked up a victory, although it was a hard-fought one, when they overcame fourth-placed Millhouses Works 2nds by two wickets at home. After putting their visitors into bat, Ian Gray’s 5-22 limited them to 144 all out with Paul Wroe’s 56 not out proving crucial in reply as wickets fell around him. This result meant that Ackworth 2nds’ six-wicket win at next-to-bottom Thorncliffe & Wentworth 2nds opened a 22-point gap to Millhouses. They chased down 119 with ease, Daniel Malyan-Walker the star man, with 4-35 in the first innings and a handy 33 from 34 balls in the second. 

 

The bottom two both lost, bottom club Monk Bretton 2nds losing at home to Harley, who chased down the 107 they were set in the first innings at a canter. Lee Moxon took 4-15 before Tom Wade’s top score of 60 from 45 balls took the visitors to an easy win. Meanwhile, Mexborough Athletic 2nds were plunged back into the relegation places by their hosts, Eden Grove Parklands, after being skittled for just 63 and losing by six-wickets. 

 

Brookhouse lead by eight from Higham, with Ackworth in the third promotion place looking rather isolated as they are 22 points further behind but also 22 ahead of Millhouses; at the other end of the table, there is a 42-point gap between tenth club Thorncliffe and safety, whilst the battle to avoid the third relegation place seems to be narrowing down to a fight between Eden Grove and Mexborough. 

 

 

Doncaster Town 3rds lost for the fourth time this season, this time by three wickets away to Rockingham Colliery 3rds to fall further behind Hatfield 2nds in the Division 8 title race. After the visitors had scored 139, with Stuart Macphee 53 not out, Enzo Campagna’s 59 took the Colliery to victory. In contrast, third-placed Houghton Main 2nds are flying after a 123-run win at home to Dearne. Tahir Nawaz top-scored with 61 off just 47 balls before Kyle Head’s 5-17 helped bowl the visitors out for 120. 

 

Elsewhere, Scholes’ 71-run win at home to Fishlake 2nds took them out of the relegation places at the expense of Dearne. After being put into bat, Aidan Shaw hit an outstanding 122, including 17 fours and four sixes, as his team posted 251-5 after 40 overs. Their visitors were always going to struggle in the chase and finished on 180-7. 

Hatfield now have a 26-poiont lead at the top, whilst Houghton Main, in the third promotion spot, are now just two points behind second-placed Doncaster, with Rockingham and Stocksbridge still in the hunt 14 points below them; at the bottom, Fishlake look doomed, 48 points from safety, whilst Wath and Dearne are still battling to overtake Scholes, who are eight points above the relegation zone. 

 

 

With leaders Adwick-le-Street not in action, it was a mixed weekend for the other teams in the promotion hunt at the top of Division 9. Whiston Forge 2nds lost by three wickets at home to Brookhouse 2nds and have dropped to joint-third, two points behind Upper Haugh 3rds, who were gifted 12 points when Rockingham Colliery 4ths conceded. In the game at Guilthwaite Hill, Adam Booth scored 52 for the home side, who were all out for 151, a score the visitors passed for the loss of seven wickets in the 36th over, largely thanks to a 60-run second-wicket stand between Liam Power and Ashley Wilson. This result allowed Wombwell Main 2nds to move back level on points with Forge after their eight-wicket home win over Kexborough 2nds. Henry Skelton took 4-10 for the hosts as they bowled their visitors out for 109, despite 52 from Prasath Selvarajah, before Josh May’s 53 not out then saw Wombwell coast to victory. The day’s only other game saw Hampole & Skelbrooke successfully defend 139 at home to Eden Grove Parklands 2nds to win by 13 runs. James Lawson top-scored with 45 before a good all-round bowling effort left the visitors 126-9 after their 40 overs. 

 

Adwick lead by 14 points, with the next three separated by only two points and Hampole & Skelbrook are outsiders a further 20 points back. 

 

 

Full scorecards 

 

League tables