Ockbrook are winners as leaders are held up by weather
OCKBROOK & Borrowash cut the gap on Beechwood Mazda Derbyshire County League Premier Division leaders Spondon with a hardfought victory over Swarkestone at Barrow Turn.
Spondon’s match against Sandiacre Town was abandoned to the weather at the midway stage and second-placed Chesterfield could not get on the field at all against Dunstall, so Ockbrook were able to move to within 26 points of the top in third place when they won by four wickets with eight balls to spare.
After being put in to bat, Swarkestone stuttered to 38-3 against Miles Hayhurst (2-23). Harvey Hosein (40) and Ben Hutchinson (41) made progress but with Jacob Conners taking 3-30, Ockbrook were well on top as the home side was held to 153-7.
Hutchinson (3-35) reduced Ockbrook in reply to 37-3 and Rahib Ali’s departure for 33 left a lot still to do at 61-4 before Jacob Conners (36 not out) and Dylan Buckthorp (29) took their side over the line.
Spondon were preparing to take on a Sandiacre total of 198-5 when rain meant there was no further play.
James Chapman (54) and Chris McIlroy (19) added 54 for the second wicket, then Scott McNeill (56 not out) and Connor Marshall (26 not out) rounded their innings off with an unbroken stand of 52. Tom Williams (2-48) was the main wickettaker for Spondon.
Ticknall beat Eckington by three wickets with only two balls to spare as Elliott Lawley hit 85 after they had hit trouble at 57-4 in response to the away side’s challenging 256-6.
Joe Bullimore (43), Imraan Manack (57) and Lewis Staniforth (38) set Eckington on their way and Chris Bullimore added a swift 43 to leave Ticknall knowing they had a job on their hands.
The task was steeper when Chris Bullimore (2-59) and Manack (2-41) tore through the top four batsmen between them but Lawley put on 66 with Scott Cobley (28) and 94 with Anoop Chima (44) before he fell at 235-7, having hit six fours and three sixes in his 77-ball stay.
Waseem Fazal took over with 28 not out, including two fours and two sixes, to see Ticknall to their target.
Alvaston & Boulton recovered from a poor start to claim an 84-run win over Elvaston.
David Jacobs (3-57) and Harry Wanford (3-41) reduced A&B to 42-5 before Hamidullah Qadri (84) began the recovery, Chris Stevenson (36) helping him take the score on to 211.
Darryl Carmody (28), Ali Hassan (26) and Mitchell Bradley (26) gave Elvaston a fine start at 82-1 but Qadri (4-21) and Ahmed Raza (3-6) dominated after that and the visitors collapsed to 127 all out midway through the 26th over.
Clifton v Denby was another of the games lost to the weather.
The Premier Cup final will be between Ticknall, who won by 168 runs after bowling Sandiacre out for 53, and Swarkestone, also convincing winners by 119 runs after dismissing Elvaston for 90.
The final will be played at Barrow Turn, Swarkestone, on Sunday, September 1.