New brothers help Hucknall stun unbeaten leaders

The five-wicket success owed much to the New brothers, with Matt taking four wickets to help restrict the home side to 151-9 in their allotted 50 overs and then partnering sibling Joe in a matchwinning stand with the bat of 94.

Hucknall had limped to 52-4, despite 17 (three fours) from their Nottinghamshire opener Jake Libby, and had really struggled against the dangerous threat of Nayyar Abbas (1-15 in 12 overs), who had already taken 18 wickets in the league so far this season, and Sunil Sharma, who took 2-21 from 12 overs.

However, the New duo showed tenacity, patience, cricket intelligence and skill to see off Abbas and negotiate a recovery. Matt stayed for 107 balls to make 37 (three fours), while Joe saw it through to the end with an innings of 58no, containing six boundaries and spanning 124 deliveries. He struck the winning runs in the 47th over of the reply.

Earlier, Wollaton had seemed poised for a much bigger total after easing to 83-1 on the back of a 73-run partnership between skipper David Barr (36) and Will Rattray (33, three fours).

But spinners Matt New (4-34 from 12 overs) and Libby (2-28 from 12 overs) changed the game, which turned Hucknall’s way with the fall of six Wollaton wickets for just 19 runs, reducing them to 102-7.

Tim Young dug in, batting 63 balls for 35, before Keith Dudgeon (2-44 in 12 overs) tightened the screw even more for the visitors.

The result left Hucknall seventh in the 12-team table, well clear of the drop zone and only 14 points behind Papplewick, who sit fourth. This Saturday, they entertain reigning champions Cuckney at the New Gatehouse Ground (12 midday start).