Win over Wollaton keeps Papplewick & Linby in NPL title hunt

A seven wicket success over Wollaton kept Papplewick & Linby in the Nottinghamshire Premier League title hunt on Saturday.
Daniel Blatherwick clears up the Wollaton tail.Daniel Blatherwick clears up the Wollaton tail.
Daniel Blatherwick clears up the Wollaton tail.

Papplewick have sunk to fourth after two Covid postponements, but have two games in hand.

Captain Ben Trevor-Jones said: “The two games in hand will be tough games.

“So it's a combination of being able to identify we are right in the mix and the table is not an adequate reflection of where we feel we are at but at the same time we also know we have to win those games to get back up there.

“But it is very promising. There has been quite a bit of movement up top with all the teams beating each other.

“That keeps all the teams in the hunt and also says a lot about even the competition is this year.

“It's going to be an intriguing second half of the season, particularly with all these games in hand. It's so hard to know who should be sitting where.

Wollaton were bowled out for 95 in 32.5 overs, Daniel Blatherwick taking 4-26, before papplewick reached 96-3 in 28.4 overs.

“I don't feel the result was an adequate reflection of the game,” said Trevor-Jones.

“I feel like they batted quite well up top, but we just kept taking wickets.

“Then I suppose the result speaks for itself in how much depth we've got in our bowling.

“I feel like our change bowlers are as skilful as the ones we are using up top. So if we can get wickets up top we feel we can get through them eventually.

“I was surprised to see them 95 all out. It was a fresh wicket and quite green, so I was going to bowl first.

“But I actually lost the toss and they batted. In the end the wicket played okay. It was more good consistent bowling performance from our bowlers that really got us over the line.

“And that was without our pro Toby Pettman, who is away for a couple of weeks and a key bowler for us. So that was a very pleasing result.”