It’s a ton of good news in battle to beat drop
CLIFTON and Ashbourne cricket clubs both reached out for lifelines with victories at the weekend.
Both clubs’ first teams now go into the final weekend of the season with a realistic chance of avoiding relegation from their respective divisions.
For Ashbourne it was a case of coming back from the brink as they finally ended a damaging run of 10 consecutive defeats in Derbyshire County League Division Five South.
Away to Alvaston & Boulton thirds, they won the toss, chose to bat and were soon regretting it as Pyush Josh was out for five, Richard Hill for 10 and Marcus Bateman for one to leave them at 21-3. Uthum De Silva’s departure then made it 38-4 and although Tom Jordan and Ed Hodgson added 37, both making 20, when they were both out in succession it was 75-6 and the relegation trapdoor was creaking open.
At that point, Shahbaz Gill went on the counter-attack, adding 51 with Arsherr Fernando, who made 11, then 91 with Charith De Silva, who made 34.
Gill reached his first century for the club and was eventually out for 105 from 76 balls with eight fours and five sixes.
Remarkably, Ashbourne’s innnings closed on a formidable 261-9.
Charith De Silva then took a wicket with the first ball of A&B’S innings but a fielding horror show, with six dropped catches, kept the home side in the match as they reached 176-3 needing four an over to win.
However, now it was Joshi’s turn and the 16-year-old spinner took 4-25 from 10 overs as the A&B innings subsided, two of them bowled and two return catches.
A&B were all out for 226 and Ashbourne now need eight points from their last match, at home to Trentside seconds on Saturday, to stay up – and that is if second bottom Rosehill Methodists win.
TEENAGE opening bowlers Kian Walwyn and Harry Moore ran through Duffield to keep Clifton’s chances of avoiding relegation from Derbyshire County League Division One alive.
It was a must-win game for Clifton away to Duffield, since they started the day bottom of the table, three points behind their hosts, who have a game in hand.
How Duffield captain Paul Bakel must have regretted his decision to bat first, having won the toss.
Seventeen-year-old Walwyn struck first, sending back Bakel for eight, then 13-year-old Moore bowled Oliver Cox for a first-ball duck and David Whiteley for four to make it 12-3.
Rob Heath was caught by Mohsin Ali for five off Walwyn, then Jack Wyatt was caught for five off Walwyn by Jack Barker and Duffield were 27-5.
Moore and Walwyn struck once more each and Walwyn’s opening burst ended with 4-24 from seven overs.
Moore’s spell was six overs, 3-12, and the home side were 34-7.
The last three wickets went to Bilal Hussain, all bowled, as he took 3-4 from 2.5 overs.
Duffield were all back in the pavilion for 52 in 17.5 overs.
They have a decent bowling attack but it was a demoralised Duffield who took the field and Aqib Afzaal and Stuart Blake were able to stroke their way to a 10-wicket win in 13 overs, Afzaal on 27 not out, with six fours, and Blake 22 not out, with five fours.
Clifton are now at home to Cutthorpe for their last game, sitting 11 points ahead of Duffield, who face a doubleheader weekend to try to save themselves.
Clifton seconds won twice at home at the weekend in Division Six South.
On Saturday, they put up 227-6 at home to Darley Abbey seconds, with 63 from Harvey Clarke, 48 from Charlie Robson and 44 from Stuart Apanasewicz.
Darley Abbey then found Kit Develin almost unplayable as they slipped to 147-8 in reply, Develin taking 6-21 from 10 overs.
The next day they were hosts to bottom club Brailsford seconds and chose to bat, putting up 192-9.
Clarke added another 50 and Nick Hopewell made 40.
Brailsford could not get close, being bowled out for 141, with another of Clifton’s talented teenagers, Jamie Longyear, taking 4-23 from six overs.
Paul Allen took 2-26 and Walwyn, fresh from his first team exploits, took 1-18 from seven overs.
Clifton’s thirds saw their promotion hopes in Division Nine South West virtually ended by defeat to close rivals Rolleston fourths on Sunday.
Rolleston had won the day before, too, and put Clifton in.
They made a useful 184 all out, with Laurence Tinsley, out injured for much of the season, making his first halfcentury for the club, reaching 54.
Dean Higton added 34 and captain Steve Walwyn 35.
Clifton started their bowling well, with an early wicket each for Robson and Higton but John France, with 80 not out, led Rolleston to a five-wicket victory with an over to spare.
It has, nonetheless, been an excellent season for the developing third team.
Ashbourne seconds bowled out Tutbury thirds for 76, Andy Hill and Shane Wibberley taking three wickets each, and cruised to a seven-wicket win in 16 overs, Jordy Duffy, in a rare appearance, top-scoring with 35.