BASSETLAW LEAGUE ROUND-UP: Thoresby storm into second on rain-ravaged day

PLAY AND MISS -- Bassetlaw League, Championship action from the match between Clipstone Welfare and Retford, which the visitors won. (PHOTO BY: Andy Sumner)PLAY AND MISS -- Bassetlaw League, Championship action from the match between Clipstone Welfare and Retford, which the visitors won. (PHOTO BY: Andy Sumner)
PLAY AND MISS -- Bassetlaw League, Championship action from the match between Clipstone Welfare and Retford, which the visitors won. (PHOTO BY: Andy Sumner)
Title-chasing Thoresby Colliery were the big winners on a rain-ravaged day of frustration in the Championship of the Bassetlaw League.

Of six fixtures, only three escaped the clutches of the bad weather. But one of them saw Thoresby lick Notts and Arnold Amateurs to earn them a maximum haul of 20 points and climb into second place in the table.

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After winning the toss, they rolled out the visitors for just 110 with Naeem Ahmed taking 5-25 in an inspired 14-over spell as first-change. This followed two early wickets with the new ball for Jack Dickens (2-22 in seven overs). With Jack Willis also bagging 2-32 from 13 economical movers, Thoresby’s dominance was broken only by Amateurs’ number four bat Sam Ecob, who made a defiant 47 (five fours). In reply, the hosts did lose three wickets, but still raced to their victory target inside 24 overs, courtesy of Mitchell English, who fired a run-a-ball 40 (seven fours) and John Skinner, who ended on 37no (four fours).

The outcome means only 21 points now separate the top four in the table, with Thoresby going above third-placed Clipstone Welfare, who sank to a seven-wicket defeat at home to Retford. After winning the toss, Clipstone posted a fair total of 200, despite a five-wicket haul for former Notts CCC and England all-rounder Usman Afzaal (5-41 in ten overs). Louis Sprigg top scored with 69, while Taylor Wright (36) and David Willcock (34) also chipped in with important runs.

But Retford made mincemeat of the run chase, sailing to 204-3 before the end of the 35th over. Openers Amit Kundra (45) and Sarvesh Kotian (38) got them off to a flier before an undefeated 79 from the impressive Kirk Edwards finished the job off as Retford swept to fifth in the table.

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Meanwhile the games involving tabletopping Farnsfield and fellow title-challengers Papplewick and Linby were among those called off after heavy rain. Farnsfield entertained North Wheatley with Leverton, but managed only 12 overs, in which they reached 46-2. Papplewick mustered even less cricket at home to Edwinstowe, making 28-1.

Worst affected by the rain, however, were Glapwell Colliery, who were robbed of certain victory at home to bottom-of-the-table Whitwell. They dismissed the Derbyshire side for just 83, with Matt Page taking 3-15 and Rasika Wijesinghe 3-22, and were cruising in reply on 76-1 from 11.5 overs when play had to be halted.

At least a finish was possible at Worksop, where Anston eased to a 103-run triumph on the back of a sparkling century by Amila Perera, who cracked 106 (11 fours) in a total of 254-8. Opener Kalyan Ampolu also made 58 as Retford defied good bowling by Ross Wicks (4-45). Worksop’s response was going well in the hands of skipper Chris Taylor (53) and Luke Ambrose (45), who put on 86. But from 129-2, they crashed to 151 all out against the bowling of man-of-the-match Perera (4-16 in 12 overs) and Ben Sommerville (3-33 in 13 overs).