Good Will hunting down the opposition with a ton
YOUNG opening batsman Will Hobson scored his first century for Ticknall’s first team as they kept the pressure on the Beechwood Mazda Derbyshire Premier Division leaders with victory over Elvaston.
There was also a more familiar name with three figures as captain Paul Borrington hit 120 not out in Ticknall’s formidable 290-3.
Hobson and Rahib Ali put on 62 after Ticknall had been put in, then Hobson and Borrington added 115 for the second wicket.
Both players had 108 when Hobson was bowled after a 150-ball innings which included 11 fours and a six.
Borrington went on to 120 not out from 104 balls, with 14 fours and a six, the only blip being a first-ball run out for Greg Cork.
It was never likely that winless bottom club Elvaston would get close and they did not, Ousman Khizer striking two early blows on his way to 2-24 from 12 overs, Jack Gorbert taking 3-51 from 12 and Sam Trotman running through the rest to finish with 5-22 from 6.3 overs.
Elvaston were on their way home with 118 all out in 36.3 overs and the bonus for Ticknall was news of a first defeat of the season for leaders Ockbrook & Borrowash.
It means they lead the division now by one point from Sandiacre Town with Ticknall a further three points back and the three clubs having opened up a big gap on those behind them.
The next day, Ticknall launched their Derbyshire Premier Cup campaign with a seven-wicket win away to Langley Mill.
They bowled the Millers out for 210 in 39 overs, with Joe Wilson taking 4-50 and Trotman 3-43.
Borrington and Ali opened the reply and put on 84 before Ali was out for 24.
Borrington, after a rapid 60 from 45 balls, fell 13 runs later but Hobson was again in fine form and he and Cork almost had the job done with a third wicket stand of 108 before Cork fell for 43.
Hobson was 66 not out from 55 balls when they completed victory in only the 32nd over.
There was nothing Division One bottom club Dunstall could do to stop unbeaten Alfreton from charging on, the leaders winning by eight wickets at Deer Park.
Put in, Dunstall began well with Reeve Evitts (30) and Jamie Benstead (51) putting on 80 but Muhammad Asim, James Aldis and Muhammad Zaroob took three wickets each and they were bowled out for 189.
An early wicket each for Evitts and Tom Bunting gave Dunstall a glimmer of hope but Zaroob, the former Rolleston all-rounder, was in unstoppable mood as he crashed 108 not out, with seven sixes and 11 fours from 69 balls, with Matt New happy to watch on, 37 not out from 83 balls, at the other end.
Dunstall were beaten with 11 overs to spare.
Jamie Broadhead took 5-19 as Alrewas cruised to a comfortable win against Wirksworth & Middleton to stay in second place.
Craig Swinfield (2-33) and Matt Frend (2-21) chipped in and Wirksworth were shot out for 86.
Harsha Vithana, who had scored 40, took 3-12 from four overs when Alrewas batted but captain James Burton ensured there were no real alarms with a run-a-ball 55 not out in a six-wicket win by the end of the 17th over.
Rolleston are in third after successfully defending a modest 187-8 against Cutthorpe.
It was a day for opener Gareth
Marshall to dig in as wickets fell around him and he did, making 71 from 131 balls.
Alex Britton added 31 towards the end.
Max Webber (25), Hashen Ramanayake (25) and Paul Burdett (26) all got starts in Cutthorpe’s reply but with Tom Liversage taking 4-38 and Usman Muzaffar 3-45, they slipped to 108-8.
Dave Bush (22) and Nigel Kingham (35 not out) raised doubts by adding 58 for the ninth wicket but once Liversage trapped Bush leg before, it ended with the home side 18 runs short.
A feeble batting display by Lullington Park saw them beaten again.
They were hustled out for 95 by Ilkeston Rutland, Paul Dawson (30) and Joe Ensor (28) making most of those, and while Dawson then took 4-26 as Ilkeston struggled to 45-5 in reply, Park simply did not have enough runs to play with.
Rafay Ahmed’s 35 not out got Ilkeston home by five wickets in the 29th over.
Trentside remain bottom of Division Two but had a welcome third win of the season at home to Shipley Hall in Division Two.
Freddie Shreeve hit 59 from 58 balls and Daniel Shreeve a more sedate 35 as they scored a useful 191.
Hummy Sharif, Sam Shelton and Karl Hancox then took two wickets each and Taifik-taufeeq Hussain 3-16 as Shipley fell to 7-3 and were eventually all out for 136.