Clifton triple tonic
Two wins and a tie for teams in busy weekend of action
CLIFTON’S three cricket teams were in spectacular action at the weekend with wins for the firsts and thirds and a nailbiting, highscoring tie for the second team.
For the firsts, it was a welcome first win since August, 2019 in Derbyshire County League Division One, but for the fast-improving thirds, victory continued their winning start in Division
Nine South West.
The firsts, being captained by veteran Simon Moore once more this season, enjoyed a comfortable 96-run win at home to Wirksworth, thanks to a solid knock from Aqib Afzaal and a blistering spell of bowling from Bilal Hussain.
Moore won the toss and batted and though Stuart Blake fell for a five-ball duck, Mohsin Ali and Aqib Afzaal put on 72 for the second wicket.
After Ali was out for 31, Usman Afzaal managed only two but Craig Williamson joined Aqib Afzaal and the pair added 84, Williamson making 48 from 67 balls.
Afzaal continued his dogged knock to the end of the 50 overs, finishing with 67 not out from 135 balls as Clifton closed on a useful 191-5.
They did not have to worry for long about whether they had enough, as Adam Leigh struck two early blows with the new ball.
Wirksworth opener Josef Whitfield was flying along at a run a ball but he was third out for 40 from 45 balls when Hussain came into the attack and bowled him.
After that, there was no way back as Hussain ran through most of the rest of the Wirksworth batting.
Williamson weighed in with two wickets and both he and
Leigh had 2-27 but when Hussain bowled the last man, he had returned 6-11 from 5.4 overs and the visitors were all out for 95.
The seconds, in Division Six South, faced a daunting target of 283-7 from 45 overs after Swarkestone’s Ben Flower made 68 and Jamie Dilks 60. Kit Develin battled away to take 3-45 from his 10 overs.
Perhaps it might have been a day when Clifton settled for a draw in previous years but with no draws down to Division Six in the league this season, they kept going for the runs.
Skipper Phil Marsh topscored with 65 and put on 100 for the fourth wicket with George Riley, who made 52.
When they had reached 173-3, it was looking good for Clifton but they fell in quick succession.
A generous dose of extras kept the score ticking along, while Paddy Welch chipped in 24, Paul Allen 20 not out and Kian Walwyn hit three fours in 18 from nine balls.
Clifton needed 20 from the last two overs and, eventually, with nine wickets down, Allen and Develin scrambled two from the last ball to bring the scores level.
The thirds bowled and fielded well to get Ashbourne seconds out for 90 at Osmaston.
Steve Walwyn took 3-15 and Oliver Mccurrach mopped up at the end with 3-2 from 2.3 overs, Nick Pearson leading the way for Ashbourne with a gritty 34 from 101 balls.
It was never easy for Clifton in reply but Dean Higton’s 24 not out from 63 balls saw them over the line with five wickets down in the 29th over.
ASHBOURNE’S firsts were beaten by 57 runs at home to Wootton, who piled up 270-8, with Ben Clowes hitting 80 and Will Tomkinson 58. Charith De Silva took 3-36 from 10 overs.
The early loss of Richard Hill for a duck did not help Ashbourne’s pursuit and though Marcus Bateman scored 57, Sasanka Appulhamilage 41, Uthum De Silva 29 and Shahbaz Gill 27, wickets tumbled too regularly and Ashbourne finished on 213-9.
EARLY wickets cost Brailsford’s firsts as they lost at home to Walton on Trent in Division Three South.
Alexander Reid hit 69 to put them back on track and Shahid Nazir scored 37 not out at the end of their innings as they posted a potentially useful 221-8.
Walton also lost early wickets but after Nick Campion scored 32 and Matthew Williams 34, Javid Oomer (52 not out) and Ed Sloan (42 not out) could not be parted and Walton reached their target with four wickets standing in the 40th over. Hassan Khan took 4-39 for Brailsford.
Brailsford seconds enjoyed a 16-run win away to neighbours Kirk Langley.
Put in to bat, they scored 173-9, opener Aaron Buckler making 45, while Taj Shazad’s unbeaten 46 batting at number 10 proved crucial.
At 104-2, Kirk Langley’s reply looked in good shape but after the third wicket went, they then lost four more wickets for the addition of one run and, at 114-7, Brailsford were firmly in the driving seat.
Kirk Langley captain Alex Walker battled on to 41 not out but his side were dismissed for 157. Shazad following up his knock with 3-12, while Buckler and Stephen Briggs had two wickets each.