SHORT STANDS TALL AS ONNELEY EARN SURPRISE VICTORY OVER MODD MEN
JAKE Short was in inspired form as Onneley upset the form book in their NSSCL Division Four home encounter against Moddershall & Oulton thirds.
Onneley went into the weekend match on the back of three straight defeats, while the Modd men had won all of their games.
However, the tables were turned as Short led the way with bat and ball to help his side to get off the mark for the league campaign.
Short top-scored with 73, which featured 10 fours and two sixes, as Onneley posted 185-7 in the first half of the afternoon’s action.
He shared a first-wicket stand of 98 with Tom Salt (27), before Mohammed Sakandar (28no) maintained the momentum later on in the innings.
Shaun Brian and Jake Bullough picked up a couple of wickets for the Modd men.
The visitors’ batting let them down in reply, though, with Short showcasing his all-round credentials after tea.
Short claimed 6-26 to leave Moddershall & Oulton all out for 72, despite Niall Mchale (23) and Stephen Powell (16) repelling the home side’s attack for a period.
Darren Walker and Sakandar also chipped in with a couple of wickets.
Moddershall & Oulton fourths did extend their own unblemished record, however, as they returned from Audley seconds with the points.
Three wickets apiece from Dinesh Cooray (3-12) and Prasanna Buddhika Tennakoon (3-30) left Audley defending just 105.
Andrew Joynson top-scored with 31, aided along the way by Joe Smith (19) and Andrew Johnson (15).
Johnson claimed 3-18 after tea, but Ravi Lindamulage’s 26 not out and 21 from Cooray helped the Modd men to a four-wicket win.
Bagnall Norton seconds and Porthill Park thirds also have four wins out of four after enjoying another productive weekend.
Bagnall Norton won by six wickets on their journey to Crewe.
Tate Rutter (37) and Callum Bacon (20) led the Crewe batting bid in the formative stages of the afternoon, but Tony Dutton and
Cian Gibson claimed 3-16 and 3-34 respectively to restrict them to 120 all out.
Rob Bennett and Andrew
Whitehurst shared the other wickets to fall.
The visitors soon set sail to another triumph as Daniel Gammon hit eight fours in his 50 and Chris Truelove chipped in with 39 to see them to their target.
Porthill Park thirds won by seven wickets at home against Bignall End seconds.
Nathan Stubbs’ 4-17 was key to Bignall End being limited to 137-9 from their 40 overs.
Matt Farr and Declan Coxon took a couple of wickets apiece, while James Platt (30) and Ian Lewis (26) made the most progress with the bat.
In reply, Chris Matthews made 52 not out, including eight fours and one six, with fine support coming from Faizan Zaroof (38) and Dylan Reynolds (31).
And those contributions meant that Porthill Park banked another 18 points to add to their collection.
Leek seconds cruised to the points at home against their Silverdale counterparts.
Silverdale, who are bottom of the table and without a win, were skittled for 80 as Ebony Tweats (4-10) and Richard Gill (3-24) did the damage. Matthew Moore topscored with 34.
Leek wrapped up an eightwicket victory as Damien Harvey compiled 34 not out and Matt Nicholls anchored proceedings with an unbeaten 31.
Hem Heath thirds inflicted a fourth successive defeat on Barlaston seconds.
Hosts Barlaston made decent progress to 151-7 as Richard Sharpe (46no), Wayne Morray (29) and Tom Gray (20) all impressed.
Ethan Squire weighed in with 17 not out late on, while Matt Lucas claimed a couple of wickets.
Hem Heath had more than 10 overs to spare when they completed a five-wicket win.
Oliver Hickman (41) and Giles Bloore (32) made the most decisive contributions to their successful run chase.