Seventh loss on the spin for Clifton
CLIFTON sit only one point off the bottom of Derbyshire County League Division One with five games left after another awful batting performance on Saturday.
Chasing the 226-8 set by promotion hopefuls Alrewas at Chapel Lane, Clifton were back in the pavilion for only 69 from 32 overs to record their seventh straight defeat.
Alrewas were put in and with opener Gareth Woolley making 83 and number three Billy Hodgkinson 52, they were set fair for a big total.
In the event, Clifton clawed things back a little from 134-2, after the second-wicket pair had added 93.
Edd Wilson finished with 3-47 from 11 overs and Azhar Ali 3-50 from 11 overs.
But the start of Clifton’s reply left them with no chance of a making a go of getting the runs.
Jack Barker was first to go, for two, after facing only four balls, and Tom Hilton, brought up from the seconds, was next out for three.
Mohsin Ali followed for a duck and then Usman Afzaal followed, having endured a 15-ball duck, to make the score 8-4.
Josh Hewitt made three and Stuart Blake two, leaving Clifton on 21-6.
There was the briefest of respites as Aqib Afzaal and Bilal Hussain doubled the score before Afzaal was out for 18, mustered from 62 balls.
Hussain stck around for 42 balls for his 17 but the innings was soon over, Alrewas opening bowler Matt Frend having taken 5-24.
There was no joy, either, for Clifton seconds, who were bowled out for 125 by Tutbuty seconds in Division Six South.
Paul Allen top-scored with 30 for them and despite two wickets each for Allen and Kit Develin, Tutbury eased to a four-wicket win with opener Lysander Schubert-hobbs anchoring their reply with an unfinished innings of 42 not out.
Clifton thirds were without a game. The first team are away to Sawley on Saturday and follow that with a crucial home game against Lullington Park, who are currently five points ahead of them.