Round up of the weekend action in NSSCL Premier A

AUDLEY won the battle of the bottom two in NSSCL Premier A to finally achieve their first win of the season.

Rob Hemmings’ side entertained Burslem at Kent Hills on Saturday, with both sides going into the contest on the back of seven straight league defeats.

The inclement weather, which had a big say in the programme, looked like it might scupper the teams’ aspirations to finally get their seasons up and running.

However, the rain relented sufficiently to allow Audley to put a notch in the win column.

Visitors Burslem took first use on their road trip and inbetween the rain delays managed to find their way to 146-9 from 43 overs.

Skipper Ash Shaw fronted that batting bid with 80, which included seven fours and two sixes.

Michael Brown (19) and Saad Qureshi (12) lent support along the way.

Ed Jones captured 4-24 for the home side with double strikes coming from Ben Mellor and Jack Redman.

That left Audley requiring 147 for victory from 38 overs - and it was a target they pretty much cruised to.

Half-centuries from Faizan Riaz and Jones powered them to an eight-wicket win inside 27 overs.

Jones was promoted up the order to open and hit 58, which contained nine fours and one six.

Riaz then put the finishing touches to matters with a 45-ball 69 not out. He struck 12 fours and one maximum.

Leek just managed to dodge the elements to win at home against Stone SP.

Warrick Fynn made 22 for Stone SP early on, but Rory Haydon’s 4-25 saw them tumble to 55-7.

Some much-needed resistance came from Stone SP’s lower order as Edward Batchelor (29), Josh Thomas (21no), Cameron Sinclair (17) and James Cope (14) guided them to 132-9 from their weather-reduced 38 overs.

At that point they might have thought they could secure a draw as Leek needed 133 to win from 16 overs.

But the Moorlanders produced a perfectly-timed chase to pocket an eight-wicket success.

Zen Malik compiled an excellent unbeaten 78, featuring eight fours and fours sixes, while Tom Moulton added 34, as Leek passed the post with five balls to spare.

Meakins and Longton drew their meeting after the weather made for an entertaining conclusion.

Longton fell to 50-5 early in the piece before Anuj Jotin and Tom Hope steadied the ship with a 53-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Jotin made 51, hitting five fours and one six, with Hope chipping in with 34.

Those efforts were key as Longton reached the end of their innings on 148-9.

Karl High picked up 4-18 and there were a couple of wickets for Ankur Malik.

Meakins required 149 to win from 25 overs - and put themselves in a handy position on 128-4 in the closing stages.

Michael Hill (38), Jack Hammond (33) and Malik (27) pushed them close to the winning line.

But in the late dash for runs, Matheesha Perera scooped 5-25 as Meakins eventually drew stumps on 141-9.

The match between the top two, Porthill Park and Checkley, was ruined by the elements.

Checkley posted 133-8 from 38 overs on the back of Michael Allen’s 50 not out. He hit four fours and one six.

John Hancock took 4-38 for Porthill Park and there was a double strike from Matt Coxon.

But time was virtually up at that stage and Porthill Park needed 134 for victory from 12 overs.

Bonus points were the only issue at that stage in reality and the hosts closed on 29-2.

Diwesh Pathania claimed both of the wickets, while Israr Ullah made 18 not out.

The matches between Bagnall Norton and Hem Heath and Moddershall & Oulton and Cheadle were both abandoned without a ball being bowled.

PORTHILL Park overcame a horror start to their run chase to beat Bagnall Norton in NSSCL Premier A on Sunday.

The round of matches - played as win/lose - were originally due to be staged on the second week of the season, but were pushed back after the season was delayed.

The leaders, who remain one point clear at the summit, were set a revised target of 70 for victory in 35 overs following a rain delay.

But that looked a long way off once they had been reduced to 7-4 in the formative stages of their reply.

John Hancock steadied matters with 17, but a couple of wickets for Scott Winnington left the hosts on 48-6 - and the match in the balance.

However, Matt Coxon kept a cool head to compile an unbeaten 32 to steer Porthill Park to a four-wicket success.

Bagnall Norton had earlier been dismissed for 76 on their visit to the Old County Ground.

Greg Willott (16), Matt Kenvyn (14) and Justin Mould (10) made the most progress with the bat.

Experienced seamer Craig Barker helped himself to 4-7, with double strikes coming from Coxon and Ben Cotton.

Bagnall Norton then fought back valiantly on the resumption, but Porthill Park found a way over the line.

Leek made it seven wins in nine matches to lie in second place after winning at home against Longton.

Tom Hope’s 33 not out and 29 from Alex Thorley enabled Longton to reach 131-9 from their 45 overs early on at Highfield.

Ross Dearden and Shamsur Rahman helped themselves to 3-15 and 3-22 respectively, with Lewis Moulton claiming a double.

Leek’s run chase wasn’t straightforward as Matheesha Perera (3-12), allied to two wickets apiece for Faheem Basharat and Alex Coates, kept Longton in contention.

However, Zen Malik batted through for 62 not out to seal a two-wicket triumph with four balls remaining.

Joshua Woodcock (18) and Rory Haydon (12) lent valuable support to Malik in the chase.

Hem Heath crushed Audley in their clash at Kent Hills.

Hem Heath took first use and managed to pile up 177-9 from their 45-over allocation.

Zephryn Hunte’s 52, which featured seven fours and one six, underpinned Hem Heath’s innings.

Support was forthcoming from Jack Wood (23), Callum Leese (20), Liam Banks (18) and Ray Toole (15no).

Huey Nield (3-39) and Ed Jones (3-44) took the bowling plaudits for Audley.

But that was as good as it got for Audley as they folded to 35 all out in reply.

Banks’ 4-21, Toole’s 3-6 and a quickfire double from Greg Prime wrapped up a comprehensive victory for Hem Heath.

Faizan Riaz (10) was the only Audley batsman to reach double figures as they remain in the drop zone.

The wait for a win continues for Burslem as they lost at home to Cheadle to suffer a ninth successive defeat.

Burslem posted 134 all out in Sunday’s clash, in which Shoaib Akhtar constructed 53. His innings contained five fours.

Opening partner Liam Pattison added 23, while late-order efforts came from Callum Harrison (14) and Shaun Rashid (13no).

Ryan Harvey and James Sellers did the bulk of the damage, finishing with 5-22 and 4-34 respectively.

Ash Shaw replied with 3-26, but Ali Khan dominated the Cheadle victory push.

Khan struck six fours and one maximum in his 60 not out to steer Cheadle to a six-wicket triumph.

Matt Goodwin (26no) and Jack Hassall (16) also played their part in the post-tea effort.

Checkley lost ground at the top of the table following their defeat at Stone SP.

The rain forced the match to be reduced to 40 overs per side - and Checkley made their way to 126-8.

Nils Priestley top-scored with 42, with Tom Carrigan weighing in with 29.

Edward Batchelor, Warrick Fynn and James Cope shared six of the wickets to fall.

Fynn was then at the forefront of Stone SP’s batting exploits.

He made 59, which included four fours and one six, as Stone SP secured a three-wicket victory with five balls to spare.

William Alsbury (26no) was there at the end to see the job through, while James Kettleborough scooped 3-36 and there was a double strike from Clark Haddrell.

Moddershall & Oulton prevailed at home against Meakins in a match which became 20 overs per side after weather issues.

Callum Hawkins hit two fours and two sixes in his 51, Sam Kelsall made 48 and Alex Price smashed four sixes in his 39 not out as the Modd men amassed 153-4. Joe Dutton took two wickets.

Peter Wilshaw replied with 74, including six fours and three maximums, with Michael Hill adding 39.

But Danushka Sandaruwan’s two wickets ensured Meakins were limited to 139-4 at the close.