Hawkins smashes 72 to earn Modd 2nds victory

MODDERSHALL & Oulton seconds secured an emphatic victory on their trip to Stafford in NSSCL Division Two.

The visitors made all the running at Riverway, posting an impressive 205-7 from their 40 overs.

Joe Hawkins led that run spree, hitting five fours in his 72 to give the Modd men a fine platform. Oliver Stark and Robert James both took two wickets.

Stafford were never in the hunt for success and were skittled for 101 after the interval.

Sanjaya Gurung (29) and Stark (26) offered some resistance, but double strikes from Rory Jones, Hawkins, Michael Arnold and Danuka Tennakoon proved to be key.

The remaining matches in the division all saw relatively close finishes on the opening weekend.

Caverswall returned from Alsager with the points from their encounter.

Vishva Chathuranga marked his Caverswall league debut with a hardhitting 93, which came off 70 balls and included 13 fours and two sixes, as the visitors amassed 209-8.

Toby Farrington (3-44) was the star man with the ball for Alsager.

Sean Price’s 57 and 34 from Aqeel Ahmed kept Alsager in contention, but Craig Grimley’s 4-46 ensured the home side could only reach 203-9 at the close.

Bignall End ran out 10-run winners on their visit to Barlaston.

George Harding hit 11 fours and one six in his 91 and Ahsam Zaroof found the boundary on six occasions in his 57 as Bignall End stuck 211-5 on the board.

Northamptonshire all-rounder Tom Taylor claimed a couple of wickets.

Joey Sharpe (43no), Brian Sims (40), Taylor (36) and Jack Davies (32) starred after tea, but double strikes from batting heroes Harding and Zaroof restricted the hosts to 201-6.

Leycett won by the same margin at home against newly-promoted Stone SP seconds.

Oliver Shirley’s 45 was backed up by David Griffiths’ 25 and 21 from Matt Johnson as Leycett were bowled out for 160.

Devon Pollard and Jack Harvey scooped 4-21 and 3-32 respectively.

Stone SP’S reply centred around experienced captain Richard Harvey’s 68 not out, which contained six fours and two sixes.

He received support from son Jack (14), but Stone SP were dismissed for 150. Dan Redfern (3-15) and Johnson (3-35) did the damage.

Little Stoke, who dropped down from Division One at the end of last season, won by 15 runs at home against Oakamoor.

Rhys Owens’ 38 and 32 from new skipper Tim Twigg were the highlights in Little Stoke’s 138 all out.

Sri Lankan paceman Dilesh Gunarathne took 4-27 for Oakamoor.

Gary Wright (33) and Tom Sherratt

(30) kept Oakamoor hopes alive on the resumption, but Andy Leese’s 3-11 ensured the visitors were dismissed for 123.

The runs flowed at the Old County Ground where hosts Porthill Park seconds beat Silverdale.

Half-centuries from Simon Wood (81) and Dan Hancock (61) powered Porthill Park to 221-7 from their allocation.

Alex Mcchristie (74) replied impressively, but three wickets apiece from Adam Ralphs (3-47) and Rohan Hesketh (3-32) left Silverdale all out for 206.