Flying start for ambitious Hucknall with opening day win over Kimberley Institute
Hucknall made a flying start to the new Nottinghamshire Premier League cricket season when they beat title hopefuls Kimberley Institute by four wickets on Saturday.
And captain Sam Johnson said the club is ambitious for silverware this summer to build on last year's fine season.
Put into bat, Kimberley made a powerful 249 total in 49.1 overs.
Martin Weightman hit 52, George Bacon 37, Ross Whiteley 30 and Rob Sutton 25 while Dom Wheatley claimed 4-53 and Jake Wright 3-31.
But, in a thrilling finish, Hucknall snatched victory with one ball to spare as they reached 251-6.
It looked unlikely at 161-5, despite a fine 70 from Sean Gilson and 28 from opener Ryan Buckley.
Then an 80 partnership for the sixth wicket between Jacob Taylor (72 not out) and Wheatley (32) surged them towards the line.
“It was really satisfying to get the win and get the points on the board,” said Johnson.
“In club cricket any chase over 220-230 is tricky as we are not professionals, especially when you are 50-3 and have lost both openers and your No.4.
“So the way the lads batted and navigated that chase was really impressive I thought.
“We are always ambitious and think we can push the rope and be better than we were last year.
“We had a fantastic season last season but I feel we have a really good group and a good squad so why not aim for the top? “We finished fourth last year but we beat near enough everybody at some point. And we have that ambition to keep improving. And see where that takes us.
“Obviously we want to win a trophy, but so do 11 other teams in the league. So we have to be realistic while being ambitious.
“We have just played Kimberley, who have finished second I think for the last three years or whatever, and we have beaten them. So why can't we be really ambitious and go and try to win everything?”
Hucknall are away at newly-promoted Collingham & District this Saturday.
However, neighbours Papplewick & Linby, with Nottinghamshire legend 'Bulwell Bomber' Luke Fletcher back with the club as captain, were beaten by 32 runs in their opening game away at Plumtree.
This was a much lower-scoring affair as Papplewick put the home side into bat and bowled them out for just 116 in 32.1 overs.
Josh Beer (50) and Ishraj Jandu (26) offered some home resistance after being 14-4.
But Nottinghamshire's dual national South African batsman Matthew Montgomery (5-11 from 7.1 overs) and Fletcher (3-21 from seven overs) shone with the ball for the visitors.
However, hopes of a comfortable victory for Papplewick soon disappeared as they were all out for 84 in 20.5 overs.
Montgomery scored 33, but no one else was able to get themselves in as they went from 38-2 to 62-5 and then 69-7.
Callum Dring claimed a magnificent 5-8 from 5.5 overs and Connor Limrick 4-33 from five.
Papplewick next host title-chasers Cuckney, who won their opener, this Saturday.