Irwin Mitchell Sheffield Alliance Midweek Cricket League - roundup 30 July

Firstly, games to watch in the final round of matches.

Prems - Caribbean v Collegiate at Caribbean Sports, Ecclesfield. Should be a formality for Collegiate

Div A - University Staff v Al-Mahdi at Warminster Road - a win for Staff and they win the title.

Div B - Woodhouse v Kashmir at Woodhouse - Kashmir win seals the title.

Meersbrook v Norton Oakes at Parkhead - Meersbrook victory gains them promotion.

Div C - All settled!

Collegiate should have done enough to secure the Premier Division title by beating Khan at Abbeydale Park last week. Khan were restricted to 112-9 (I.Mohammed 34, N.Khan 3-24) and with Matt Simpson smacking 80, a 7 wicket win was obtained. With Collegiate playing struggling Caribbean this week, the title looks certain to be going to Abbeydale. Their nearest rivals TOA hit 125-7 (R.Khan 40), then keeping Sheffield Friends to 105-6 (S.Hussain 34, J.Younis 34*). Frecheville’s young team are relegated alongside Caribbean after being beaten by Attock. Frecheville were kept down to 85-9 (J.Castle 4-15). Attock cruised to a 9 wicket win with A.Hayat making 48 not out. Caribbean were all out for 96 (A.Jackson 34*, A.Ashfaque 3-24) and Darnall reached the target, but not without a struggle, losing 7 wickets along the way (S.Gittens 3-36).

Al-Mahdi have gained promotion from Division A, but the battle for the other promotion spot is still wide open. Al-Mahdi made a useful 139-8 (N.Bandari 49), but a battling performance from Nether Edge got them very close and but for a tight final over from Shokat Ali, might have sneaked a win. However, they ended on 131-4 (A.Max 4) and in losing also lost their Division A status. Norton Woodseats made 90-3, which Nar Mando passed with 6 wickets down. In the game between second placed Waterworks and University Staff, Waterworks made 94-5 (SV.Kandasamy 3-36), then SB Kandasamy stroked 51 not out to see Staff to a 7 wicket win. This puts both teams neck and neck, but a win for Staff will seal promotion as they have more wins. The title race is also still wide open.

Division B will go right down to the wire, with 3 teams still scrapping it out for promotion and the title. Kashmir took a huge step towards promotion by beating the leaders from the previous round - Meersbrook. Meersbrook never got going, only mustering 80-9. Naheem’s 55 not out set up a comfortable 9 wicket win. De La Salle overcame Telecom Sports - but only just. Set 112-7 to chase (A.Broomhead 38, J.Dutton 37, M.Sandhu 3-18). De La Salle won by 4 wickets in the last over (R.Bulmer 33*, A.Broomhead 3-33). Woodhouse managed only 70-8 (M.Rose 4-21), Richmond reaching the target with ease, losing a single wicket (P.Jones 31*). Norton Oakes scored 107-5 (C.Baker 39), Sharrow falling just short on 92-9 (J.Winnard 3-22).

In Division B, Hollinsend bashed their way to the title, chasing the meagre 59 all out of Transport (T.Nyabezi 4-10, N.Thew 3-5) inside 6 overs by 6 wickets as wads worth belted 32 from 18 balls. TRS made 110-3, only to see Hallam Lodgers openers knock off the runs with ease (P.Trenall 67*, D.McCaig 35). Brincliffe totalled 117-6 (J.Ferguson 55, A.Sneesby 3-24) and then kept a lid on Dronfield Contact, who ended at 100-3.

Irwin Mitchell Sheffield Alliance Midweek Cricket League - roundup 26 July

Firstly, games to watch this week.

Prems - Collegiate v Khan at Abbeydale - can Collegiate confirm the title?

Div A - Uni Staff v Waterworks at Warminster Road - a win for Waterworks gives them the title, a win for Staff keeps them in the title race. And a sporty track in prospect!

Div B - Kashmir v Meersbrook at Whirlow - a win for the visitors gives them the title, a win for the home side keeps it very interesting!

Div C - Hollinsend v Transport at Fox Lane - see the home team secure the title?

Innings of the season so far was played at Bawtry Road, where De La Salle opener Sam Wainwright took rather a fancy to the Woodhouse bowling in their Division B match. After surviving a tight run out call before he’d faced a ball, Sam belted 7 6s and 16 4s in smashing 133 not out off just 52 balls as DLS racked up 181-1. And then it rained before Woodhouse could reply. Meersbrook dismissed Richmond for 76 (N.Islip 3-17) and went on to win by 9 wickets (I.Marshall 53*). This result condemns Richmond to relegation and also moves Meersbrook back ahead of Kashmir at the top of the table, as Kashmir were beaten by Norton Oakes. Kashmir made a very useful 137 (Z.Javed 53, N.Naheem 37, P.Ledger 4-24, J.Winnard 3-44). Oakes’ young team replied with élan, with C.Dawson (44) to the fore, just getting home by 2 wickets, despite Z.Javed picking up 5-22 to wrap up an impressive, if forlorn performance. Sharrow belted their way to 189-9 (Z.Abbas 64, N.Cadman 3-32). Telecom were far from overawed and with J.Dutton (61) and S.Froggatt (50), they got close, ending at 177-5. 

The battle for the Premier Division title is a two-horse race between Collegiate and TOA. Collegiate played at Frecheville last week and their young team racked up 189-2 (W.Root 85*, A.Patmore 63). With the exuberance of youth, Frecheville took up the challenge and got agonisingly close, ending just 3 runs shy with 4 wickets down, thanks to 84 from M.Donson and 63 from T.Saxelby. Attock made exactly 100 for the loss of 8 wickets (I.Afzal 53, M.Ilyas 3-32). TOA going on to win by 6 wickets (S.Yousuf 35). Sheffield Friends made 137-5 (J.Younis 40) and restricted Caribbean to 82, result that relegates last season’s runners-up. Darnall totalled 127 (M.Banaris 61, I.Mohammed 4-39). Khan couldn’t quite get there, ending at 112-9 (A.Ali 3-13).

In the battle between the top two in Division A, Waterworks came out on top, defeating Al-Mahdi. Waterworks scored 130-7 (J.Chetwood 56, S.Ali 3-33) and Al-Mahdi succumbed to 100 all out (J.Harrison 4-20). Aviva, already relegated, were held to 64-8 by University Staff (J.Young 3-21), who went on to win by 9 wickets (M.Sharma 35*). Nar Mando were all out for 85 (U.Asif 4-13), then saw Outokumpo ease to the 10 wicket win, with Asif hitting 55 not out to cap a good night’s work. The game between Norton Woodseats and Nether Edges was abandoned, which means both clubs, plus Nar Mando, are still in danger of the drop.

In Division C the top two of Ridgeway and Hollinsend have both secured promotion. Hollinsend are top and with 2 games left to Ridgeway’s one, must be favourites for the title. Last week, Hollinsend powered their way to 156-1 (R.Wadsworth 89*, D.Elliott 46). Despite heavy rain, Brincliffe sportingly played on, but could muster just 44-7 (R.Sharp 4-11). Ridgeway were surprisingly beaten by Dronfield Contact, who still stay bottom. Dronfield made 107-2 (R.Firth 45, P.Hawksworth 43), but this was beyond Ridgeway, who were held to 96-3 (M.Bull 55*, A.Sneesby 3-26). Hallam Lodgers scored 89-9 (G.Lewis 3-18). Transport crashed to 62 all out, John Overton grabbing 6-15.