Super Steele leads Longton through in ECB National Club Championship

Longton captain Tom Steele led from the front to power his side through to the next round of the ECB National Club Championship.

Steele compiled a century as Longton eased past the challenge of Halesowen in their Group Eight encounter at Ripon Road.

Steele hit 14 fours and three sixes in his 128 as Longton raced to 233-5 from their 40 overs.

He shared a first-wicket stand of 144 with Joseph Abbotts, who made 50, which featured five boundaries.

Freddie Doorbar (41) added to the punishment for the Halesowen bowlers, who had Charlie Egerton and Ciaran Baker-Smith picking up a couple of wickets apiece.

Visitors Halesowen were never in the hunt to challenge that hefty total.

Egerton made 44, but Steele wrapped up the man-of-the-match accolade with 4-15, with Anuj Jotin scooping 3-36.

Elsewhere in the group, Porthill Park are also through following a comfortable six-wicket home win against Cheshire League outfit Bowdon.

Tom Mason’s 3-17, allied to double strikes from Ben Cotton and John Hancock, saw Bowdon all out for 124.

Ross Zelem top-scored for Bowdon with 40.

Porthill Park required just 20.1 overs to overhaul their meagre target.

Thomas Longworth set the ball rolling with 37, before Matt Coxon took centre stage.

All-rounder Coxon faced a mere 44 balls for his unbeaten 62, which included three fours and six sixes. Matthew Tully took 3-27.

Stone SP exited the competition after being thumped on their visit to Didsbury.

The writing was on the wall for Sam Graham’s Stone SP once Didsbury piled up 281-9 from their allocation in the first half of the afternoon.

Cheshire’s Rob Sehmi and Sam Leech both compiled half-centuries as Didsbury put Stone SP’s attack to the sword.

Sehmi’s 93 contained six fours and five sixes, with Leech striking four boundaries and eight sixes in his 80.

Stone SP plugged away with the ball with Jack Harvey taking 4-55, while Edward and Jack Batchelor shared four wickets.

In reply, George Hawbrook and Edward Batchelor both made 14, but the visitors were routed for 96 to end their interest.

Liam Booth and Oli Chamberlain helped themselves to 3-24 and 3-25 respectively as the hosts cruised through.

Both local sides in Group Seven were knocked out of the competition on Sunday.

Newcastle & Hartshill travelled to Knowle & Dorridge, but fell to a 16-run loss.

Hosts Knowle & Dorridge made 159 all out, in which Inderpal Singh Nandra made 34, Hamza Sheikh added 30 and Ahmed Hussain weighed in with 21.

Sachithra Perera snared 4-41 for Castle, with support coming from James Cronie (3-21).

Ryan Hassett’s 32 fronted the Castle chase, but they fell short of the winning line as they were dismissed for 143.

David Ball took 3-24 and Neil Pinner and Sheikh claimed two wickets apiece.

Leek were beaten by eight wickets on their trip to Wolverhampton.

An unbroken third-wicket partnership of 163 between Alex Mellor and Sam Slater led Leek to 197-2 from their 40 overs in the south of the county.

Mellor hit six fours and three sixes in his 86 not out, while Slater struck five fours in his 61 not out.

Wolverhampton paced their run chase to perfection as they knocked off the runs with five balls remaining.

Hassan Qaumi top-scored with 72 not out, an innings including four fours and five sixes.

Geroge Margetts wasn’t far behind, hitting four boundaries and two maximums in his 71.

Rehaan Edavalath had set the ball rolling for Wolverhampton with 41 at the top of the order before Qaumi and Margetts took over.

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