Alsager relegated from NSSCL Premier A, while Bagnall Norton fall into drop zone
CREDIT: Chris Travers Deputy Sports Editor/Cricket Writer @ Stoke Sentinel. This piece forms part of the North Staffs South Cheshire Review, aiming to provide detailed insights into local sports.
Alsager lose key clash with Porthill Park to end their North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A time, while there are wins for Audley, Hem Heath, Longton and Newcastle & Hartshill
Alsager’s relegation from NSSCL Premier A was confirmed after they lost to a Porthill Park side who boosted their own chances of survival.
The clash between the bottom two at the Old County Ground was always going to be pivotal – and it ended with one of the drop places being filled.
Alsager were beaten by 36 runs in a rain-affected clash to see their top-flight stay end after just a solitary season.
For Porthill Park, though, the victory saw them exit the bottom two and they now have a three-point cushion heading into Saturday’s final round of fixtures.
Porthill Park were always in control of the contest at the weekend after piling up 244-6 from a reduced 37 overs on home turf.
A first-wicket stand of 188 between Tom Steele and John Hancock formed the backbone of the hosts’ impressive total.
John Hancock made 86 as Porthill Park boosted their North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A survival prospects by beating Alsager.
(Image: Malcolm Hart www.mhartpics.com)
Steele hit 10 fours in his 87, with Hancock’s 86 featuring nine boundaries and three sixes.
Matthew Coxon then chipped in with a breezy 29 to maintain the momentum. Asif Raza took 3-28 for Alsager, with Manraj Johal striking twice.
A further delay saw Alsager’s target revised to 194 from 27 overs.
But that proved to be out of their range as they eventually closed on 157-8 from their allocation.
Raza (37), Aqeel Ahmed (24) and Johal (23) made handy middle-order contributions, but it wasn’t enough.
Coxon helped himself to 3-28, with Ben Cotton grabbing a couple of scalps.
Porthill Park will now look to finish off their survival mission at title challengers Leek next weekend.
Bagnall Norton have dropped into the relegation zone after losing at Longton.
Visitors Bagnall Norton took first use and managed to make their way to 200-7 from their 45 overs.
Matthew Kenvyn top-scored for the strugglers with 66, an innings which contained five fours and two maximums.
Charles Worthington added 27, Josh Cartledge made 18 and there was 16 apiece from Justin Mould and Scott Winnington.
Tom Hope and Chris Dyer shared four of the wickets to fall.
The rain then meant that Longton’s target was changed to 188 from 39 overs – and they rose to the challenge.
Opener Matheesha Perera fronted their victory bid as he hit nine fours and three sixes in an excellent 78.
Alex Thorley’s 23 and 22 apiece from Hope and Alex McChristie saw Longton to a four-wicket success – and in the process pushed them 11 points clear of trouble.
Kenvyn and Andrew Whitehurst took two wickets each for Bagnall Norton, but they face a tough test against new leaders Stone SP at home next weekend.
It proved to be an interesting day at the top with leading duo Leek and Stone SP both losing.
But bonus points were crucial as Stone SP actually leapfrogged their title rivals to open up a three-point lead heading into the last weekend.
Leek suffered an eight-wicket loss in a rain-affected encounter at Hem Heath.
Visitors Leek were limited to 122-9 from their 45 overs in the first half of the contest at Trentham Lakes.
Tom Moulton (38), Alex Mellor (24), Ross Dearden (20no) and Kieran Carr (19) made the biggest impacts with the bat for the Moorlanders.
Liam Banks scooped 3-16 for Hem Heath and there were double strikes from EJ Laverty, Greg Prime and Alec Price.
Hem Heath’s target was revised to 95 from 28 overs after a weather delay.
And they cruised to their target with seven overs remaining, led by Banks’ unbeaten 39.
Matt Hodson (17) and Callum Leese (16no) also helped to get the job done.
Stone SP were beaten by 10 wickets at home by Newcastle & Hartshill in another clash hit by the elements.
Warrick Fynn (35), William Hobson (31) and Sam Graham (29) were the principal contributors to Stone SP’s 180 all out.
Sachithra Perera helped himself to 4-29 for Castle and there were a couple of wickets apiece for Rich Hagan and Joe Thorne.
A lengthy delay then saw Castle requiring 76 to win from 12 overs.
And they needed just seven of those to knock of the runs as Rohan Vallabhaneni went into overdrive.
The youngsters plundered nine fours and one six in a 25-ball 54 not out to guide Castle home.
Ryan Hassett lent support as he walked off on 22 not out.
Audley secured a two-wicket home win against Checkley.
Checkley ran into early problems with the bat as they were reduced to 18-3.
Captain James Kettleborough led the recovery mission with 54, which contained four fours.
And with Jack Farrington (35) and Josh Hewitt (34) also impressing, Checkley closed on 168-7 from 40 overs.
Ed Jones picked up 4-26 for Audley and there were a couple of victims for skipper Rob Hemmings.
Audley were then on the back foot in reply as they tumbled to 26-4.
However, they found their composure to rebuild the innings on the back of Hemmings’ 57, which featured seven fours and two sixes, plus 45 from Jack Redman.
Archie Doorbar chipped in with 10, but at 149-8, the destination of the points were still up for grabs.
But Huey Nield’s 11 not out and an unbeaten 10 from Ben Mellor meant it was the home side who were left celebrating.
Charlie Lewis helped himself to 4-26 for the visitors and there were two wickets for Farrington.
The match between Moddershall & Oulton and Meakins lasted just 4.5 overs before play was called off.
The Modd men had reached 21-1 when the players left the field for the final time.
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PREMIER B
Bignall End and Knypersley to battle it out for NSSCL Premier B safety
Eccleshall clinch promotion despite Wood Lane loss, plus wins for Ashcombe Park, Cheadle, Burslem, Norton in Hales and Whitmore in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B
Bignall End and Knypersley face a final-day showdown in NSSCL Premier B to avoid joining Leycett in dropping out of the division.
Both sides were beaten at the weekend and now meet at Boon Hill this weekend in a winner-takes-all encounter.
Bignall End are the current occupants in the relegation zone, with Knypersley sitting once place above them and eight points better off.
It looked for a time that Bignall End might be leaping out of trouble on their visit to Ashcombe Park.
The visitors managed to post 132 all out in the formative stages of the contest, in which Niall Hassett top-scored with 54. He hit eight fours and two sixes.
Anis Raza claimed 3-16 for the home side and there were a couple of wickets apiece for Josh Need and Nathan Ball.
The rain meant that Ashcombe Park were set a revised target of 116 for victory from 34 overs.
However, despite Tom Ball making 23 and Riecko Parker-Cole adding 22, they were struggling on 80-7 after George Harding’s 3-10 and double strikes from Hamid Ali and Aunn Shah.
But Phil Clowes (18no) and Raza (12no) joined forces to see Ashcombe Park over the line to leave Bignall End in 11th place.
Knypersley were well beaten at home by promotion-chasing Burslem.
Knypersley stuck 140-8 on the board from a rain-reduced 30 overs at Tunstall Road.
Danny Baker (35), Cameron Allen (34) and Ahmed Abbasi (30) made the biggest impressions with the bat for the hosts.
Matt Morris scooped 3-30 for Burslem and there were two victims for Callum Harrison.
Burslem had few concerns in overhauling that target as they banked an eight-wicket triumph inside 23 overs.
Openers Morris (43) and Shoaib Akhtar (28) laid form foundations for the away side.
It was then left to Eklavya Gupta to compile 50 not out, containing four fours and one six, to complete the mission. Jacob Cumberbatch took both of the wickets to fall.
Burslem find themselves in fourth place, 13 points shy of a top-two place, heading into the last game of the campaign.
Leaders Eccleshall sealed one of the promotion spots, despite being well beaten at Wood Lane.
Eccleshall required just seven points to confirm their elevation – and picked them up at Megacre.
Wood Lane took first use and powered their way to 268-7 from a rain-reduced 40 overs.
That total was underpinned by a fourth-wicket stand of 123 between Richard Hassall and Danny Brierley.
Hassall hit 13 fours and four sixes in his 92, with Brierley’s 57 featuring seven boundaries and one maximum.
Martin Dawson (40), Steve Brierley (30no) and Ben McGuire (25) were also in good touch.
Matthew Wright scooped 4-55 for Eccleshall and there were a couple of scalps for Myles Coughlan.
Jack Knapper top-scored with 49 on the resumption, but Eccleshall were dismissed for 143.
Richie Jervis and Thomas Mason helped themselves to 4-38 and 3-31 respectively and there were also two wickets for Hassall.
But that couldn’t dampen Eccleshall’s celebrations and they now need three points from their final match to secure the title.
Whitmore are in second place after winning at home against Hem Heath seconds.
Visitors Hem Heath succumbed for just 45 in Saturday’s match, in which Harvey Ault top-scored with 17.
Matt McAll (5-14) and Muhammad Imran (4-19) did the damage with the ball for Whitmore.
The weather saw Whitmore require 37 to win from 26 overs… and that was never going to be an issue.
They lost three wickets in reaching the winning line, but did so in seven overs as Joe Harrison made 13 not out. Yohan Liyanage took two wickets.
Whitmore make the trip to Elworth for their last league fixture.
Cheadle are two points behind in third place after beating Elworth.
Hosts Cheadle were in excellent form with the bat as they amassed 254 all out at their Tean Road headquarters.
Craig Smith led the way with 52, which featured four fours and two sixes, with support forthcoming from Alfie Bonehill (48), Ali Khan (44), James Sellers (41) and Matthew Goodwin (28).
Craig Smith made 52 in Cheadle’s North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B victory over Elworth.(Image: Stoke Sentinel)
James Burnett (4-36) and Harry Newton (4-61) grabbed four wickets apiece, with Chris Winter taking the other two.
Elworth were then set 161 to win from 21 overs after a delay.
They gave the chase a good go, but were limited to 146-5 when stumps were drawn.
Newton hit seven fours and one six in his 59 not out, with Ash Rogers weighing in with 29. Goodwin and Ryan Harvey shared four wickets.
Cheadle make the trip to already-relegated Leycett on Saturday.
Leycett fell to a 16th defeat of the campaign in going down to Norton in Hales. Visitors Leycett were bowled out for 112 in the first half of Saturday’s match.
Dan Redfern made 30, with Ben Shirley (17), David Speakman (14), Reece White (12) and Jaidel Richardson (11) also making starts.
Anthony Sheeran picked up 3-14 for Norton in Hales and there were two wickets each for Jack Furnival, Luke Taylor and George Walker.
Norton’s target was revised to 90 to win from 28 overs – and they romped to a nine-wicket success.
Aaron Thomason and Rameez Alam contributed 49 not out and an unbeaten 27 respectively.
CREDIT: Chris Travers Deputy Sports Editor/Cricket Writer @ Stoke Sentinel
