Chris Travers

LEEK find themselves in the bottom two of the NSSCL Premier Division after their comprehensive defeat at Moorlands neighbours Cheadle left them with just a solitary league win so far.

Cheadle were in command of the match from the moment they put 197-4 on the board.

Opener Andrew Coxon batted throughout to make an unbeaten 78, which featured seven fours and one six and saw him face 132 deliveries.

Ali Khan added 40, with James Sellers chipping in with 31.

Mahaaz Ahmed struck twice for the visitors.

Alex Mellor’s 22 and 15 apiece from Rory Jackson and Ryan Ball proved to be the highlights for Leek on the resumption.

That was nowhere near enough, however, as their innings came to a conclusion with the score on 90.

Cheadle captain Matt Goodwin helped himself to 4-10, with James Jackson scooping figures of 3-15.

Checkley are in third place after a fourth win of the campaign arrived at Longton.

Experienced campaigner Andy Carr anchored the Checkley innings as he made a patient 38 to help to steer them to 162 all out at Ripon Road.

Captain Michael Allen weighed in with 26, with Tom Hope’s 3-20 being the principal contribution with the ball for the hosts.

Alex Coates and Ed Jones also shared four wickets.

Longton, missing star batsman Riki Wessels because of commitments in America, were skittled for just 97 after tea.

Richard Williams, promoted up the order in Wessels’ absence, top-scored with 21, but there was little else to shout about from the home side’s perspective.

Young seamer Clark Haddrell did the bulk of the damage with a fine haul of 4-11, with James Cox, Ben Haslegrave and Seb Smith sharing the other six wickets to fall.

The game of the day, however, saw Porthill Park and Elworth serve up arguably the most entertaining match in recent times as two Golden Overs were required to separate the sides.

The final win/lose game of the current block, before the teams switch to the redball format, provided plenty of drama at the Old County Ground before Porthill Park managed to make it five successive league wins to preserve their perfect start to the campaign.

The sides had both been bowled out for 72, before they were locked on nine runs each in the first Golden Over as Porthill Park scrambled two off the final ball to draw level.

There was an element of confusion as Elworth were under the impression they had won on wickets lost after picking up the scalp of John Hancock in extra time while not losing one themselves.

However, umpires Avtar Devgon and Stephen Goold leafed through the rule book once more to determine that the sides would have to participate in a second Golden Over to determine the destination of the 18 points on offer.

Elworth once again stuck nine runs on the board – and left-arm spinner Steve Morgan then put them in the favourites enclosure at the start of Porthill Park’s reply.

They were limited to just a single off the first two deliveries, while also picking up the wicket of Ryan Hassett, who was stumped by Ryan Sloan. But Porthill Park captain Hancock slog-swept his first ball towards Wolstanton Marsh for six to put the home side in control.

Three runs were required off the final three deliveries, with Hancock then nurdling two with some hard running alongside Louis Allison.

With Elworth skipper Russ Ballard bringing the field in to try to put pressure on the Porthill Park batsmen, Hancock went over the top off the penultimate delivery to send the ball scurrying for four to complete his side’s dramatic win.

Hancock let out a roar of celebration as he fell to his knees, while Elworth players were left with heads in hands after pushing the table-toppers so close.

Elworth were no doubt wondering what might have been after seeing their victory hopes hamstrung by overseas allrounder Beyers Swanepoel’s hamstring injury.

The South African had ripped through the Porthill Park top order in the early stages of the afternoon as his haul of 4-6 reduced the hosts to 15-4 with Hancock, Hassett, Allison and Matthew Coxon all dismissed.

However, he pulled up lame after two balls of his fifth over as Porthill Park earned some respite from his superb opening spell.

Thomas Longworth (27) and Jack Beech (21) started the recovery mission as they advanced the score to 58-4, but the wheels then came off the Porthill Park innings once more.

Morgan’s 3-17 and a couple of wickets from Mike Stewart ensured that Porthill Park were dismissed for just 72.

But that target was never going to be a cake walk for Elworth with Porthill Park, champions in four of the past six years, often having dragged themselves back from the brink in recent seasons.

Paceman Coxon was the man for the occasion as he sparked into life with a haul of 4-19 to reduce the Cheshire visitors to 34-6 in their run chase.

The match was firmly in the balance at that stage, but Elworth had Swanepoel – with Alex Banks acting as his legs – at the crease to try to steer them home.

Sri Lanka spinner Sachithra Perera struck in successive deliveries to leave Elworth 50-8, but they appeared to have done enough for victory when Ben Holt smashed a six towards the scoreboard to draw the scores level.

But he was trapped lbw by Perera (3-13) from the next delivery to leave Elworth needing one to win with Swanepoel and last-man Morgan at the crease.

Porthill Park’s wily seamer Craig Barker had ball in hand, with Swanepoel – largely swinging from the hip and in obvious discomfort because of his injury – on strike.

The odds would have been slightly in Elworth’s favour, but from the first ball of the 20th over, Swanepoel chipped a legside delivery from Barker to Jack Beech at mid-wicket.

It was a thrilling way to finish the contest as both sides headed into a Golden Over... but little did the spectators know that the drama would be cranked up a notch or two in extra time before Porthill Park managed to secure victory.

The win leaves Porthill Park 10 points clear at the summit, but newly-promoted Hem Heath are in hot pursuit after maintaining their impressive start to life back in the top flight.

Greg Prime’s side registered a fourth win in five outings as they pocketed a sixwicket victory on their trip to Stone SP.

The hosts were asked to bat first, but only Ben Motley managed to get to grips with matters as his side were bundled out for 111.

Motley held firm to compile an