Hucknall denied chance to put their Notts Premier League revival to the test

Given that they sit bottom of the table, while Plumtree are top, it might be construed that they were happy to get away without the need to play.

But on the other hand, Robin Maxwell’s newly-promoted troops have been showing improved form in recent weeks as they adapt to the demands of the NPL and so they might have expected to glean more than the six points they got for the cancellation.

As it is, they remain 12th of 12 in the table with 98 points, but all six teams directly above them are no more than 16 points better off, so there’s no doubt it’s still all to play for in the remaining ten matches of the campaign, which begin this Saturday with a home clash against Mansfield Hosiery Mills at the New Gatehouse Ground (12 noon start).

Hucknall’s trip to Plumtree was one of three NPL fixtures to fail to even get off the ground because of the rain. Only one of the others achieved a definite result, and they weren’t complaining at the outcome as next-to-bottom Clifton Village slid to a seven-wicket defeat at Notts CCC Academy.

Clifton were bowled out for 143 before the Notts youngsters eased to their target in the hands of Tom Keast (71no) and Liam Patterson-White (40no), who shared an unbroken stand of 87.

RAIN also scuppered Hucknall 2nd’s match at home to Sutton Bonington in Division D of the Gunn And Moore South Notts League. And it almost certainly robbed Tim Buckthorpe’s tabletopping team of their seventh win in ten outings.

In a match reduced to 44 overs per side, Bonington got off to a solid start in the hands of their skipper, Ian Stone (43), and opener Kameswara Sharma (21). But Hucknall’s change-bowlers, George Judd (3-14 in seven overs) and Graeme Wright (2-17 in 5.2 overs), triggered a collapse to 124 all out, with George Buckthorpe also playing a key role by running out Stone. The dependable Paul Harley (1-23 in 11 overs) did a good job too.

In reply, the home team lost George Buckthorpe for 17 and Shaun Caudwell for ten, but they were still progressing nicely on 59-2 from 10.4 overs when the weather intervened and forced an abandonment. Evergreen opener Andy Carden was at the helm, unbeaten on 26 after spanking five boundaries.

Hucknall hope to return to winning ways this Saturday when they travel to Hickling.