Alex in a lone fight as batting collapses
TEENAGE opener Alex Blake batted right through Clifton’s innings for 70 not out on Saturday – but had to watch as his first five partners all fell for ducks and the team plunged to defeat away to Chesterfield in County League Division One.
Stuart Blake (seven balls), Will Wilson (14), Harvey Clarke (16) Mohsin Ali (4) and captain Josh Hewitt, who went first ball, all fell without scoring and at 25-5, Alex had 23 not out.
Jack Barker then stayed 60 balls for 15 and Atta Ur Rehman launched a counter-atack with 39 from 30 balls, before last man Adam Leigh scored 12.
Clifton were all out for 159 in 46.4 overs and things scarcely improved when they bowled.
Rehmann took an early wicket in an economical spell but Yannick Leonard (77 not out) and Harry Wilmott (52 not out) powered Chesterfield to a ninewicket victory in 32 overs.
The news was not much better from Chapel Lane, as the seconds fell to a fivewicket defeat to Etwall seconds in Division Six South.
For them, Samil Mahmood got a first ball duck after they had been put in and captain Phil Marsh departed for 16 but Tom Hilton and Paddy Welsh got the score up to 92 before Welsh went for 24.
Of the rest, only Rob Mccurrach, with 12, reached double figures but Hilton powered on and was eighth man out for 97 from 115 balls, with 11 fours and four sixes.
Clifton were dismissed for 184.
Etwall’s steady reply saw Phil Mead make 52 not out after opener Ashley Smith had made 36 and they reached their target with five wickets down and nine balls to spare.
Steve Walwyn took 2-34 for Clifton and there was a wicket each for Hilton, Kian Walwyn and Alastair Pike.
Some cheer was provided by the third team, who recorded a 26-run win away to Yoxall in Division Nine South West.
Choosing to bat, they posted 180, with 46 for Oscar Wainwright, 33 from Simon Hellaby and 30 for Charlie Hart, who had the unusual distinction of being out hit the ball twice.
Yoxall, in reply, could not get any significant partnerships going as Declan Walwyn delivered a good opening spell which brought him two wickets, then returned to mop up the tail and finish with 4-31 from eight overs.
Simon Hellaby and Ashton Hellaby took two wickets each and Yoxall came up short with 154 all out, Walwyn taking the last wicket with the last ball.
ASHBOURNE’S fragile batting again let them down as they fell to a four-wicket defeat away to Allestree in Division Six South.
On a poor pitch, they battled to 81-2 Sasanka Ranatunga making 39 and Muhammad Khan 31 but wickets fell steadily after that and it took a late flurry of 26 from Mohammed Haroon to carry them to 161 all out.
Early wickets for Arsherr Fernando and Charith De Silva had Allestree in trouble at 39-4 but they were rescued by 72 not out from Richard Eley and reached the target in plenty of time.
The seconds took a winning draw at home to Tutbury thirds in Division Nine South West, posting 196-8 with capother tain Paul Duke hitting the top score of 42 not out and William Siddons adding 30.
Ashbourne tried nine bowlers but could not prise Tutbury out as they ground out 110-7, Duke and Fernando Sampath taking two wickets each.
The thirds collected 27 bonus points in Division Nine Central South when hosts Melbourne Town thirds could not raise a side.
BRAILSFORD firsts fell short in a run chase at home to Chellaston.
With three players passing 40, Chellaston put up a useful 231-8, Ayaz Shazad, Ian Clarke and Alexander Reid taking two wickets each.
Early wickets set back the Brailsford reply and they were 88-5 before Scott Matthews (46) and Rupert Sanderson (51) added 86 for the sixth wicket.
Once they were out, though, the innings fell away and Brailsford were all out for 209.
Peter Cartledge made 60 for the seconds as they posted 198-9 against Melbourne seconds, who swept to a sevenwicket win in Division Seven South.
WOOTON firsts fell to their second successive defeat in Division Four South.
Captain Ben Clowes topscored with 55 as they made 159-8 against Ticknall seconds, who knocked off the target for the loss of three wickets with three overs to spare thanks to 85 not out from Michael Jacques.
There was a winning draw for Wootton seconds in Division Seven South.
Rhodri Dunphy (67 not out) and Daniel Forrester (54 not out) put on an unbroken sixthwicket stand of 97 to carry them to 201-5 against Ilkeston Rutland thirds, who played out the draw at 138-7 with Adam Brooks on 70 not out.