Cavs Close The Gap

Any thoughts that Clifton had that the 2010 title was theirs were shattered as they suffered a comprehensive 8 wicket loss to their main rivals West Indian Cavaliers at the Clifton Oval.

The visitors asked Clifton to bat first and for once, their usually reliable batting line-up faltered and they only managed to limp to 175 all out in just shy of 49 overs.Three Cavs bowlers took three wickets each – Bilal Shafayat with 3-30, Tinashe Panyangara 3-44 and Zubin Faisal 3-50. The Cavaliers’ batsmen were obviously keen to avenge the Twenty20 defeat to the same opposition at Trent Bridge the previous evening and hurried to their target in just 28.5 overs led by Alex Tudor with 47* and Aqib Afzaal, 43. This result means Clifton remain top but they are now just 18 points ahead of the Cavaliers.

Caythorpe now sit in third behind Cavaliers after they inflicted a heavy defeat on the Notts Academy at Lady Bay; the visitors batted first and closed on 252 for five thanks to 75 not from Josh Mierkalns and 71 from Steve Allcoat; Adam Shepherd was the leading Academy bowler grabbing 4-54. The youngsters will have been bitterly disappointed with their response as they were skittled for just 92 in 34 overs, Tim Haines grabbing 4-28 and Steve Randall 3-22.

At the other end of the table, Wollaton did their chances of Premier League survival no harm with a good 4 wicket win away at Welbeck Colliery; the home side had first knock and went to tea with the score on 223 for 4. Guy Darwin (71*) and Rob French (71) were the leading contributors. Wollaton skipper Ed Savill will have enjoyed the win especially as he contributed 40 runs, supported by David Smith with 57 and Tim Young 41. This win leaves Wollaton in tenth and the gap between them and the side in eleventh has now grown to 22 points.

That side is Radcliffe and their cause will not have been helped by losing to away at Cuckney by 7 wickets in double quick time. The visitors batted first after Cuckney’s Richard Stroh won the toss and were dismissed for 101 in less than 42 overs, Stroh taking 4-40 and Will Butler 4-34. The South African Stroh then rounded off an excellent game by contributing 33 not out with the bat as the T20 finalists strolled to victory in just 23 overs.

The match between Kimberley and Attenborough started an hour late due to the weather and the game was reduced to 42 overs per side; the home side secured a winning draw after batting first and posting 236 for 6. Jon Terry struck his second Premier League hundred of the season, ending with 111 of 116 balls, with good support from George Bacon with 39 not out. Attenborough veterans Martin Clulow (3-47) and Sam Clulow (3-47) enjoyed their day with the ball. In an excellent reply, Attenborough ended up just 9 runs short with only one wicket remaining to almost sneak a terrific win, thanks largely to 64 from Shaun Fitzgibbon and 46 from Tom Murray. Kimberley’s Matt Wright (3-45) and Dominic Wheatley (3-60) led the attack.

The final game of the day eventually fell victim to the weather; Papplewick travelled to Mansfield Hosiery Mills looking to bounce back from their thumping loss to Clifton last weekend. The visitors batted first and declared on 202 for 8 in 47 overs with Alex Lloyd (34), Mark Nelson (32) and Taimoor Khan (46) making key contributions. The Hosiery Mills reply was halted by the weather after 33 overs when they had reached 140 for 1 Sudesh Fernando (78*) and Gareth Curtis (38*) looking set. The game was abandoned.

The final of the Nottinghamshire Premier League Twenty20 that was delayed from Friday’s finals day at Trent Bridge due to rain, will now be played this coming Thursday at Papplewick. The final will be between Clifton and last year’s Twenty20 Champions Cuckney and kicks off at 5.15 pm.