ASHCOMBE PARK INCREASE MISERY FOR MEAKINS, WHILE ECCLESHALL HIT FORM TO WIN STONE SP CUP CLASH
MEAKINS’ miserable start to the season continued as they were dumped out of the Talbot Cup at the second-round stage by Ashcombe Park.
Peter Wilshaw’s side, who are the defending NSSCL Premier Division champions, find themselves bottom of the table after four defeats in their opening five matches.
And their interest in the league’s cup competition came to an end with a thumping loss on their visit to Division One Ashcombe Park.
Ashcombe Park would have sensed the opportunity to knock out their top-flight opponents - and they cranked up the pressure on Meakins by posting 189 all out at Basford Bridge Lane.
David Proffitt top-scored with 45, while Amer Siddique (32), Anis Raza (31) and Irfan Khan (22) lent valuable support.
Paul Byrne took 4-32 for Meakins, including three wickets in four balls to wrap up the innings, while Simon Mugava picked up a couple of victims.
Meakins made a slow start to their run chase as they slipped to 44-3... and their situation became even worse when they fell to 45-6, which included the wicket of skipper Wilshaw, below, for 22.
Jake Coxon (12) and Mugava (11) were the only other players to reach double figures as Meakins were bundled out for just 71.
Spinner Raza did the bulk of the damage with 6-19, while Jacob
Johnson also struck twice to secure Ashcombe Park, relegated from the Premier Division at the end of last season, a comfortable win.
Division One also beat Premier Division in the other tie as Eccleshall defeated Stone SP.
It was arguably not too much of a surprise, though, with Eccleshall having won all five league games and Stone SP having lost four of their opening five encounters.
Eccleshall batted first and reached 193-8 from their 40 overs, with solid contributions throughout the innings.
Scott Winnington (41), Adnan Ghaus (39), Myles Coughlan (25) and Jonathon Bramall (23no) made the most headway. Cameron Sinclair and EJ Laverty shared four wickets.
Henry Mountford replied with 32, with Laverty (27), Edmund Gaffney (24) and Ben Motley (21) also impressing.
However, it wasn’t enough as Ben Thomas’ 5-26 and 3-42 from Coughlan dismissed Stone SP for 173 with four balls of the innings remaining.
Porthill Park are also through to the next round after opponents
Eccleshall seconds conceded their tie at the Old County Ground.
· BARLASTON seconds cruised into the third round of the Talbot Shield with an emphatic win at their Sandyford counterparts.
A second-wicket partnership of 105 between Sam Plant and Dan Blundred set the platform for Barlaston to reach 261-9 from their 40 overs.
Plant made 84 and Blundred added 65, while Tom Gray chipped in with 33.
Asachveer Singh-kaller and Joe Warrilow claimed 4-50 and 3-31 respectively.
In reply, Mitchell Underwood (44)
and Nick Rafferty (39) impressed, but Sandyford were never in the hunt for success as they were bowled out for 121.
Blundred showcased his allround credentials with 3-6, helped along the way by double strikes from Ethan Squire, Edward Seabridge and Oliver Suen.
Norton in Hales seconds were also in fine batting form to win at Whitmore 2nd XI.
Half-centuries from Charlie Hine (88no) and Simon Belfield (65) guided Norton in Hales to 252-5 from their allocation.
Hine struck eight fours and five sixes in his innings with 10 boundaries littering Belfield’s top knock.
Matt Lawrenson weighed in with an unbeaten 25, while there were two wickets for Alex Holland.
Sandip Sen (44) and Owen Lawton (25no) were the main contributors for Whitmore after tea, but they drew stumps on 167-8. Belfield captured 4-19.
Audley seconds are through to the next round after a 63-run home victory over Knypersley.
James Rogers’ 48 was added to by Ian Wilshaw’s 46 and 33 from Andrew Joynson as Audley ended their 40 overs on 183-7.
Jaco Van Den Heever was the star performer with the ball, taking 3-26, with Jacob Cumberbatch adding a couple of wickets.
Knypersley’s Mitchell Edwards continued his good form with 57 after tea, but that was the most meaningful effort in the visitors’ run chase.
And with Ben Mellor claiming 5-16, Knypersley were dismissed for 120 to end their cup run.
The runs flowed at Bignall End where visitors Burslem managed to progress to the next stage.
Burslem set a tough challenge after amassing 231-5 from their
allocation, which featured halfcenturies from Logan Hughes and Andrew Hurd.
Hughes struck an unbeaten 61, which contained five fours, with
Hurd hitting nine fours in his 56. Junaid Qureshi (28no), Michael Rowley (22) and Chris Lowndes (21) kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Zack Smith took two wickets for Bignall End and then made 21 in the reply.
Ian Lewis led the way with 65, which included seven fours and three sixes, adied by Joel Brierley’s 26 and 24 from James Platt.
But Bignall End were limited to 211 all out as Hughes, Kyle Brassington and Farhan Ismail all picked up two wickets.
Last year’s Shield runners-up, Caverswall seconds, are out after losing at home to Cheadle thirds.
Sam Akram’s 59 was integral to Cheadle managing to post 185-6 in the early part of the afternoon.
Owen Turner lent support with 39 not out, Ryan Day weighed in with 25 and Ben Bloor chipped in with 20. Steve Bishop took two wickets.
Bishop top-scored with 23 in reply, but only Sam Barker (14) and James Mason (10) made any other sort of contribution as Caverswall were bowled out for 109.
Joe Degg claimed 3-10 for the Moorlanders, while Ben Weaver and Akram struck twice.
Oakamoor seconds made home advantage count to beat Woore in their meeting.
Alfie Walford’s 57, plus 40 from Callum Lowe, ensured Oakamoor reached 202-9 at the halfway stage of proceedings. Tas Hussain claimed 3-25 for Woore, with doubles coming from Uzair Abdullah and Muhammad Adrees.
Hussain hit five fours and two sixes in his 52 after tea, but despite Daniel Manning making 29, Woore were bowled out for 187.
Thomas Hayes was the key performer with the ball for Oakamoor, finishing with 4-27.
Porthill Park thirds won by six wickets at home against Alsager seconds.
James Cope’s 5-29 and 3-42 from Leo Plummer restricted Alsager to 151 all out, in which Sam Dejesus made 45 and Dave Kelly added 37.
Stephen Richardson anchored the Porthill Park chase, finishing unbeaten on 67, which featured seven fours.
Chris Matthews added 21 to see Porthill Park past the post.