BASSETLAW LEAGUE ROUND-UP: Thoresby inflict first defeat on leaders as Farnsfield sweep to top

ALL RIGHT, JACK -- bowler Jack Dickens, whose four-wicket haul helped Thoresby Colliery to victory over Papplewick and Linby

Third-placed Thoresby beat Papplewick by eight wickets in the big match of a double-header of action over the Bank Holiday weekend. And the chief beneficiaries were Farnsfield, who raced to the top with wins on Saturday and Monday.

Shellshocked Papplewick were skittled for just 117, with more than half of their runs being made by one player, South African import Leon Botha (59). The pick of Thoresby’s bowlers was Jack Dickens with a return of 4-16, while the pick of their batsmen was Mitchell English, who stroked a fine 71 not out as his side eased to 118-2 in reply.

Papplewick recovered 48 hours later when hammering bottom-of-the-table Worksop by 132 runs. They declared on 228-4 after a superb opening partnership of 162 between Joe Walker (77) and skipper Sam Ogrizovic (74) and then rolled the home team over for just 96, with Gareth Blinkhorn taking 4-53 and Botha three wickets in 18 deliveries.

However, Thoresby also won again -- this time at home to Whitwell, whose total of 175-9 was not quite enough. The hosts’ reply was never fully convincing, but they got there with three wickets to spare.

Meanwhile Farnsfield were striding to the division’s summit with an impressive double success in home matches against Clipstone Welfare and then Edwinstowe on Bank Holiday Monday. It was a tight squeeze in the Saturday game as their total of 207, which included 57 from Matthew Sisson, earned an 11-run victory. But against Edwinstowe, Farnsfield underlined their title credentials with an eight-wicket romp. The visitors were restricted to 172-9 before more polished batting by opener Sisson (60), supported by James Smith (40) in a first-wicket stand of 106, eased them to their target inside 30 overs.

Despite their setback, Clipstone are still breathing down the necks of the top three in the table after recovering to produce a commanding batting performance at home to Glapwell Colliery on Bank Holiday Monday. With the evergreen Jason Gorman firing 71, opener Amory Holder 79 and all-rounder Louis Sprigg 50, they amassed a total of 262-7 that was way out of the reach of the visitors, who limped to 112 all out in reply after a six-wicket burst by the impressive Mohamed Althaf Anwardeen (6-30 in 15 overs).

Towards the foot of the table, three teams -- Worksop, Whitwell and Notts and Arnold Amateurs -- have yet to secure an outright victory this term. Worksop preceded their defeat against Papplewick with a losing draw at Glapwell, hanging on at 133-9 after the hosts had made 170. But at least the game yielded a fine all-round display by Tim Smith jnr, who took 4-15 with the ball and made 40 with the bat.

Whitwell’s defeat at Thoresby followed a losing draw at Notts and Arnold Amateurs, who posted 263-9, despite 5-49 from Andy Shaw, and then restricted the Derbyshire outfit to 205-8, despite a terrific, defiant knock of 98no from Alan Webb.