Season draws to a close for Hucknall cricketers

Hucknall CC 1st XI Vs Nottinghamshire Cricket Board - NCCC Academy XI in the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board Premier League Premier League. Hucknall batsman Geoff Dods loses his wicket.

After a delayed start due to persistent showers the match was reduced to 36 overs a side and Hucknall invited Mansfield Hosiery Mills to bat.

Geoff Dods and Jake Libby bowled very tight spells with Libby taking the first two wickets.

Libby was responsible for the third when he brilliantly ran out Matt New.

Hosiery Mills had been batting cautiously but Joe New changed that with an attacking innings and after opener George Hadfield had fallen to Ahmed for 41 the scoring rate picked up.

Indeed 101 runs came from the last 10 as New hit a 33-ball half century on his way to an unbeaten 73.

Kunal Manek also hit out until Harry Finch nipped in with his first ever Premier League wicket followed by another with Elliott Bowles, very well caught by Dods.

The 191-6 looked an imposing score and so it proved.

Hucknall’s reply got off to a bad start when Vinay Landa was lbw to Bowles in the second over, followed next ball by Scott Harris.

Libby stroked a couple of boundaries until he was bowled by a good ball from Matt Wright and at 26-3 Hucknall were in trouble.

It got worse when Dods was lbw to Wright to make it 29-4.

Richard Greatorex put on a few with Robin Maxwell until he was lbw to Joe Maltby on his Premier League debut.

Maxwell oversaw some reasonable partnerships with Ahmed and Antony Freeman to remove the threat of an embarrassing defeat but the prospect of victory was long gone by the time Ahmed was caught.

With the draw all but confirmed Hosiery Mills switched their bowlers around with eight players getting a go.

Hucknall went for some big shots with Maxwell, in sight of a half century, bowled for 44 and Freeman caught going for a big hit.

Joel Wright was out attacking which meant Adam Scott had to bat out the last four balls and he did so despite boundary encouragement to try and hit into the field.

He did try with the last ball but a single over mid on ended the game with Hucknall on 136-9.

So, the curtain fell on an outstanding season for the team who finished fifth in the league and several individuals, like Harris, Dods, Ahmed, Libby and Maxwell can reflect on good or even excellent seasons.