Warrick Fynn leaves Hem Heath in a spin as Stone SP seal NSSCL Premier A win, a victory noted in the North Staffs South Cheshire Review.
CREDIT: Chris Travers Deputy Sports Editor/Cricket Writer @ Stoke Sentinel
There are also victories for Bagnall Norton, Checkley, Meakins and Longton in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A, while Newcastle & Hartshill draw with Alsager
Stone SP snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Hem Heath to remain in second place in NSSCL Premier A.
Spinner Warrick Fynn was Stone SP’s hero as his haul of 6-16 turned the tables in dramatic fashion in Saturday’s encounter.
Hem Heath looked to be on the right track to knock off Stone SP’s 149 all out as they reached 94-2.
Greg Prime (44), Liam Banks (29) and Callum Leese (28) led the visitors into a position of strength.
But the introduction of Fynn, plus Jack Batchelor (3-64) helped to swing the momentum back in the hosts’ favour.
They gradually chipped away at Hem Heath’s line-up, but EJ Laverty struck 22 to guide his side to 146-7… and just four runs shy of victory.
However, Laverty was then stumped by Dan Lunn off Batchelor before Fynn removed Ray Toole and Ben Topley – all without addition to the score – to leave Stone SP three-run winners.
Earlier in the day, Jack Batchelor had top-scored with 46 as Stone SP recovered from 28-4 to post their final total.
Lunn chipped in with 37, while other handy contributions in the grand scheme of things came from Ed Batchelor (15) and James Cope (10).
Banks and Toole captured 4-22 and 3-39 respectively for Hem Heath, with skipper Prime adding a couple of scalps.
But their batting collapse late in the day left the defending champions in 10th and just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Checkley remain top – and five points clear – after holding their nerve to beat third-placed Leek by one wicket.
Leek managed to amass 189 all out on their visit to Four Trees.
Rory Haydon marked his recent white-ball contract with Derbyshire by compiling 45, with Matthew Campbell contributing 36.
Hamaiz Mahmood (25), Jack Bowcock (21), Sam Slater (17) and 14 apiece from Alex Mellor and Ross Dearden also helped Leek’s cause.
Jack Farrington (3-30) and Charlie Lewis (3-45) were the star performers with the ball for Checkley, while Richard Cooper weighed in with two scalps.
Checkley fell to 65-5 in their run chase, but recovered manfully before losing their ninth wicket with the score on 174.
Tom Carrigan (42), Farrington (34), Richard Williams (29), James Kettleborough (16) and James Abbotts (13) had made the biggest impressions up to that point.
But all eyes turned to Cooper and Lewis as the final pair looked to guide Checkley to their target.
And with tension filling the air, they managed to knock off the runs with Cooper making an unbeaten 22 and Lewis finishing on 10 not out. Haydon was the pick of the Leek attack, taking 4-42, while there were two wickets for Lewis Moulton.
Bagnall Norton also won by one wicket as they saw off the challenge of Moddershall & Oulton.
The Modd men saw Sam Kelsall (37) and Fraser Hawkins (25) made starts, but at 122-8, they needed another partnership to reach a competitive score.
Arjun Annamalai and Elliott Massey rose to the occasion as they forged an unbroken alliance to enable Moddershall & Oulton to close on 183-8 from their 55 overs.
Annamalai hit nine fours and two sixes in an expertly-compiled 79 not out, with Massey providing support with an unbeaten 26.
Nyle Broadhurst scooped 4-30 for the home side, with four wickets being shared by Morgan Murray-Williams and Scott Winnington.
Anuj Tiwari fronted Bagnall Norton’s response with 69, which contained 12 boundaries.
Justin Mould (40) and Josh Cartledge (22) were also in fine form, but Bagnall Norton suffered a wobble after being 121-2.
Justin Mould made 40 as Bagnall Norton beat Moddershall & Oulton in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A.(Image: Alfie Shenton)
However, they managed to cross the line to pocket the points, despite Danushka Sandaruwan’s 4-27 and two wickets for Kelsall.
Second-from-bottom Longton moved to within a point of safety after winning at home against Porthill Park.
Ben Green captured 5-32 and Tom Hope and sub pro Dushan Vimukthi grabbed two wickets apiece to dismiss Porthill Park for 168 in the formative stages.
Tom Longworth and Matt Coxon struck 39 apiece, with support forthcoming from Ben Cotton (30) and Tom Steele (21).
Longton had few concerns in wrapping up a seven-wicket triumph after the interval.
Matheesha Perera kicked off matters with 30, before Hope and Vimukthi finished off matters.
Hope hit seven fours and one six in his 68 not out, with Vimukthi ending on 32 not out.
Audley’s poor run of form continued as they lost by three wickets at Meakins.
Audley had won five of their opening six matches of the season, but have won just once since then.
And they were left in a spin on Saturday as Meakins’ Jalat Khan and Ollie Tucker instigated their downfall.
Steve Stolk (23) and Jack Redman (16) had led the visitors to 56-1, but the game changed in rapid fashion.
Khan’s 5-5, allied to 4-16 from Tucker, endured that Audley were routed for a mere 74.
However, they gave themselves a glimmer of hope that they could pull off an unlikely win after reducing Meakins to 1-3 and 27-5 in reply.
But Simon Mugava’s 26, 16 not out from Pete Wilshaw and Khan’s 11 helped the home side to their target. Alex Coates helped himself to 4-32 for Audley, with Rob Hemmings picking up a couple of victims.
Newcastle & Hartshill had the better of their home draw against back-markers Alsager.
Castle ran into early problems on home turf as they found themselves 19-3.
The innings was revived, though, thanks to a fourth-wicket stand of 199 between Andy Whitehead and Muhammad Qamar Khan.
Whitehead’s 64 featured seven fours and one six, with Khan hitting six boundaries in his 56.
And with Gamindu Kanishka (26), Guy Bridgett (24no), Harry Bailey (19) and 17 apiece from Rich Hagan and Sachithra Perera keeping the scoreboard ticking over, Castle closed on 263-9.
Asif Raza and Manraj Johal picked up 3-51 and 3-62 respectively for the visitors.
In reply, Yash Kothari top-scored with 64, an innings which included 12 fours.
But despite Sean Price (45), James Bloor (28), Aqeel Ahmed (19) and Paul Pickford (15) impressing, Alsager found themselves nine wickets down after Perera’s 5-47 and Kanishka’s 3-37.
However, Alex Perry made 21 not out and Tom Bason faced 24 balls for an unbeaten three to leave Alsager on 221-9 from 61 overs when time was called.
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PREMIER B
Alam and Furnival lead Norton in Hales to much-needed NSSCL Premier B victory
Burslem, Cheadle, Eccleshall, Ashcombe Park and Whitmore also pick up wins in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier
Norton in Hales gave their NSSCL Premier B survival hopes a shot in the arm with victory at Elworth.
The win still leaves Norton in Hales second-from-bottom, but they closed the gap to safety to 14 points.
Elworth had made their way to 196 all out in the early stages of the afternoon, in which Jarrod McKay top-scored with 78.
McKay’s innings included nine fours and five sixes, with Ash Rogers (33) and Ed Parrish (25) also impressing.
Jack Furnival led the Tractor Boys’ bowling effort with 4-39, backed up by George Walker’s 3-44 and a couple of wickets for Aaron Thomason.
In reply, Isaac Foster made 24, but at 62-4, Norton in Hales had plenty of work to do if they were to bank a much-needed success.
But they managed it as Rameez Alam and Furnival constructed an unbroken stand to steer their side to a six-wicket win. Alam plundered nine fours and half-a-dozen sixes in his 91 not out, with Furnival’s unbeaten 58 featuring 11 fours and one six.
Hem Heath seconds, in 10th place, are looking over their shoulder after being thumped at home by leaders Eccleshall.
Eccleshall set sail towards another victory after amassing 314-9 declared on their trip to Trentham Lakes.
A second-wicket stand of 190 between Andrew Calvert and Chris Plant laid the foundations for their mammoth score.
Calvert hit 13 fours and seven sixes in his 124, with Plant weighing in with 78. His knock contained 14 boundaries.
Greg Clark (24) and Rhys Owens (21) also delivered, while Ben Lucas’ 6-42 was the highlight from the home side’s perspective.
Hem Heath folded on the resumption as they were skittled for just 95.
George Leese top-scored with 20, but double strikes from Zak Mosam, Ejaz Nawaz, Myles Coughlan and Calvert completed an easy win for the table-toppers.
Second-placed Cheadle are 18 points off top spot after winning at home against Wood Lane.
Alfie Bonehill’s half-century underpinned Cheadle’s innings as they stuck 247-8 on the board from their 55 overs.
Bonehill’s 66 featured 12 fours and one six, with Sam Cliffe’s 45, Matthew Goodwin’s 41 and an unbeaten 26 from Jack Hassall boosting their bid.
Thomas Mason picked up 3-69 for the visitors, with Eddie Visser and Martin Dawson sharing four wickets.
Danny Brierley (32), Richard Hassall (26) and Jay Green (14) made starts on the resumption.
But Wood Lane were bowled out for 108 as James Sellers helped himself to 4-32.
The remaining wickets were shared by Goodwin, Will Dobbie and Jack Hassall.
Burslem are in third after banking the points on their trip to Bignall End.
Matt Morris (45), Eranga Dissanagge (34) and Ryan Roberts (26) starred early on, but Burslem’s innings was at a crossroads on 139-7.
They powered their way to 232-9 at the close, though, as Michael Brown chipped in with 36 not out and Callum Harrison made 35.
George Harding and Liam Hassett helped themselves to 3-31 and 3-58 respectively.
Harding then fronted Bignall End’s chase with 53, which included five boundaries.
Jon Maskrey added 34 and Irfan Khan struck 29, but Bignall End were eventually bowled out for 172.
Seamer Dilesh Gunarathne was the star of the show with the ball for Burslem, taking 6-43.
Dilesh Gunarathne picked up six wickets for Burslem in their win at Bignall End in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B.(Image: STOKE SENTINEL)
Ashcombe Park won by four wickets at bottom-of-the-table Leycett.
Leycett took first use and managed to bat impressively to reach 206-9 at the halfway stage.
Martin Bryan top-scored with 40, with Dan Redfern (39), 24 apiece from Ben Shirley and Reece White, plus Matt Johnson (20no) helping them out. Anis Raza captured 4-39 for Ashcombe Park and there were a couple of victims for Riecko Parker-Cole.
Charlie Knott (37) handed Ashcombe Park a positive start to their run chase.
Phil Clowes then dropped anchor to compile an unbeaten 45.
And with Chris Jenkins smashing a rapid 71, which included 11 fours and one six, the visitors found their way to the winning line.
Johnson, Redfern and Tom Warburton all claimed two wickets.
Whitmore prevailed by three wickets at home against Knypersley.
Knype were skittled for just 76 in the first half as Oliver Johnson (3-9), Muhammad Imran (3-23) and Bilal Hussain (3-26) did the damage.
Ahmed Abbasi (31) and Liam Hopkins (10) offered the primary resistance for Knypersley.
Daniyal Hussain Rajput then scooped 5-40 after the interval, but Whitmore found a way to their target thanks to Imran’s 23, 18 from Joe Harrison, Piers Copeland’s 13 not out and 12 from Fraser James.
CREDIT: Chris Travers Deputy Sports Editor/Cricket Writer @ Stoke Sentinel
