Steve Stolk equals league record to boost Audley’s NSSCL Premier A safety quest.
The North Staffs South Cheshire Review highlights this stellar performance in its latest coverage.
CREDIT: Chris Travers Deputy Sports Editor/Cricket Writer @ Stoke Sentinel
Stolk smashes double ton in victory over Alsager in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A, while all of the other games fall victim to the weather
Steve Stolk equalled the highest individual score in the top flight of the North Staffs and South Cheshire League to bolster Audley’s chances of Premier A survival.
Stolk blasted a remarkable 215 not out – matching Iain Carr’s feat for Moddershall against Barlaston back in 2003 – as Audley easily beat Alsager in Saturday’s rain-affected encounter.
Audley went into the clash against the division’s back markers needing a victory to put more daylight between themselves and the danger zone.
And given the fact it was the only encounter to reach a positive conclusion, they ended the day in sixth spot and 14 points clear of trouble.
Stolk may have equalled Carr’s landmark, but alongside Jack Redman, he shattered the highest third-wicket partnership record in top-flight history.
Jack Redman was in the runs as Audley beat Alsager in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier A.(Image: Pete Stonier)
The Audley pair came together on 11-2 after seven overs – and were unbeaten as they put on 317 to guide the home side to 328-2 from their 45 overs.
Asif Raza had struck twice to boost Alsager’s hopes early on, but it then became the Stolk show for the remainder of the innings.
The South African faced just 140 balls and plundered 23 fours and 10 sixes in his knock to put the game beyond Alsager.
Redman was more than happy to play the supporting role to his team-mate, but still walked off on 63 not out, having hit seven fours.
A rain delay then saw Alsager, who are 30 points adrift of safety with three games to go, needing 231 to win from 26 overs.
However, they were never likely to knock off that revised target and they drew stumps on 119-8.
Sam Goodwin (33no), Manraj Johal (22), Alex Perry (15), Oliver Mitchell (12no) and Aqeel Ahmed (10) made the biggest impacts with the bat.
Richard Holloway claimed 3-12 for Audley and there were double strikes from Rob Hemmings and Huey Nield.
The eagerly-anticipated top-of-the-table clash between Leek and Stone SP only saw one innings played due to the weather.
That leaves the sides still separated by a single point to set up what will be a thrilling end to the season.
Visitors Leek were the ones to get their innings in as they posted 175 all out on their road trip.
Hamaiz Mahmood top-scored with 56, which contained six fours and one six, with captain Alex Mellor chipping in with 46.
It was spin duo Warrick Fynn and Jack Batchelor who did the damage with the ball as they scooped 5-29 and 3-27 respectively.
However, the elements prevented Stone SP from taking on the run chase.
Hem Heath gave their victory push a good go before being denied by the weather at home against Moddershall & Oulton.
Hosts Hem Heath had bundled out the Modd men for a paltry 81 in the formative stages of Saturday’s encounter.
Callum Hawkins (21) and Joe Hawkins (13) offered the primary resistance with the bat, but it was a day for the home side’s bowlers.
Tom Hodson helped himself to 4-13 and there were three wickets apiece for EJ Laverty (3-21) and Liam Banks (3-23).
Banks then blasted 23 not out, but after 2.5 overs the rain arrived with Hem Heath on 33-1 – and the players never returned.
Porthill Park remain the bottom two, four points from safety, after their game at Meakins was abandoned.
Meakins did get their turn with the bat in before the heavens opened to bring an early end to matters.
Ash Shaw (32), Sam Moores (28), Jack Hammond (15) and Karl High (13no) all played their part to guide Meakins to 153 all out.
Tom Kesteven (3-22) and Adeel Khalid (3-29) starred with the ball for the visitors, while there were two victims for Yohan Maddege.
Longton had put themselves in a strong position against Checkley before the rain ended play.
Longton had piled up 265-6 from their 45 overs, fronted by Matheesha Perera’s century.
Perera hit 17 fours and one six in his 112, with Dan Tinsley (39), Alex McChristie (26no) and Alex Thorley (23) lending valuable support.
Charlie Lewis and Michael Allen shared four wickets, but Checkley were never given the chance to start their reply.
Newcastle & Hartshill had made their way to 185-8 from 39 overs at Bagnall Norton before play was called off.
Ryan Hassett (21) and 17 apiece from Jonathon Gidman and Gamindu Kamishka were the early efforts for Castle.
But they found themselves in trouble on 89-7 before Harry Bailey (47) and Rich Hagan (33no) managed to carve out an 81-run stand.
Nyle Broadhurst scooped 3-30 for the home side, with Greg Willott striking twice.
However, that was all of the action possible on the day as the elements had the final say.
Check out all the 2025 Premier League Leading Run Scorers HERE
PREMIER B
Hem Heath and Norton in Hales earn crucial NSSCL Premier B victories
Survival prospects are enhanced for duo in North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B, while Leycett’s demotion is confirmed
Hem Heath seconds and Norton in Hales both managed to dodge the rain to boost their NSSCL Premier B survival chances.
Hem Heath prevailed in a thrilling clash at Elworth, while Norton in Hales took the points from a weather-affected contest at Knypersley.
The rain may have poured in some areas, but it was runs which flowed in Cheshire as Hem Heath edged out Elworth by just two runs.
A fourth-wicket stand of 102 between Ben Lucas and Nazakat Ali formed the backbone of Hem Heath’s 244-5 from their 45 overs.
Lucas hit six fours and three sixes in his 72, while Ali’s 61 featured seven boundaries.
Ben Lucas helped Hem Heath seconds to a tense North Staffs and South Cheshire League Premier B win at Elworth.(Image: Malcolm Hart www.mhartpics.com)
Oscar Bradshaw (37) and Matt Lucas (25no) also kept the scoreboard ticking over. Alex Banks took a couple of wickets for the home side.
Elworth gave the run chase a good go, but were ultimately beaten by two runs as they drew stumps on 242-9.
Chris Regan top-scored with 65, which included nine fours and one six, with Ash Rogers (42) and Banks (36) also impressing.
Jack Jones scooped 4-41 for the visitors, with Yohan Liyanage striking twice.
The win put Hem Heath 13 points clear of the drop zone – the same number as Norton in Hales who won at Knypersley.
Norton in Hales impressed with the bat in the first half of the contest as they piled up 286-6 from their allocation.
Half-centuries from Jack Furnival and Rameez Alam powered the away side to their tally.
Furnival compiled 64, in just 49 balls, hitting eight fours and two sixes, with Alam’s 50 containing eight boundaries and one maximum.
Ronan Farnell (38), Isaac Foster (33), Aaron Thomason (22) and Eddie Warrington (21) were also in fine fettle. Joe Dutton took two scalps.
The weather then meant that Knype were set a revised target of 131 from 14 overs.
But despite their best efforts, they were limited to 116-6 when time was called, in which Ahmed Abbasi (22), Paul Goodwin (19no) and Liam Hopkins (16no) made the biggest impacts. The loss leaves Knypersley third-from-bottom and just three points above the relegation places.
Bottom-side Leycett were relegated after their home clash with Wood Lane was abandoned at the halfway stage.
It had been a tough first half for Leycett as well as rivals Wood Lane amassed 314-7.
Captain Danny Brierley led the way for Wood Lane with 77, which included eight fours and one six.
Eddie Visser struck 49 late on, while earlier in the innings Martin Dawson and Ben Forster both made 45 and Ben McGuire weighed in with 38. Jaidel Richardson took 4-53 for Leycett, but the rain prevented them from starting their chase.
The battle between second-placed Whitmore and third-placed Burslem also fell victim to the elements.
Visitors Burslem took first use and managed to reach 187 all out on their road trip.
Shoaib Akhtar top-scored with 38, with handy contributions coming from Eranga Dissanagge (24), 23 apiece from Michael Brown and Dilesh Gunarathne and 20 from Matt Morris.
Aaqil Mohideen captured 3-24 for Whitmore and there were two wickets each for Matt McAll and Danyal Hussain.
In reply, Whitmore reached 27-1 from six overs before play was abandoned.
Leaders Eccleshall saw their match at Ashcombe Park called off just an over into the second innings.
Eccleshall had put themselves in a healthy position by sticking 210-6 from their 45 overs.
Jack Knapper (29) and Chris Plant (24) made starts, but it required a key stand between Myles Coughlan and Dan Byatt to rescue Eccleshall from 112-6.
Coughlan hit 10 fours in his 74 not out, with Byatt’s unbeaten 55 featuring seven fours and three sixes.
Jamie Ball took 3-30 for the hosts, with Anis Raza striking twice.
Ashcombe Park were set a revised 207 to win from 43 overs and had reached 9-0 from six balls before the players left the field.
Cheadle’s home match against second-from-bottom Bignall End was also brought to an early end by the rain.
Jon Maskrey (39) and Ben Dixon (24) were the principal contributors to Bignall End’s 157 all out.
Will Dobbie and Ryan Elwell snared 3-31 and 3-32 respectively, with the remaining wickets being shared by Matt Goodwin and Jack Winfield.
Cheadle were set a revised 146 for victory from 38 overs, but faced just three balls before the weather intervened.
CREDIT: Chris Travers Deputy Sports Editor/Cricket Writer @ Stoke Sentinel
