Sandiacre bowlers put seal on Prem title
BEECHWOOD Mazda Derbyshire Premier Division title is back with Sandiacre Town after they comfortably beat Denby at the Copper Yard on the final day of the season.
Opener Luke Thomas anchored their steady progress with the bat after winning the toss, scoring 77 off 147 balls as Denby kept chipping away with wickets, led by Peter Burgoyne (3-60), James Bodill (2-24) and Joe Wilson (2-60).
A final total of 204, their final wicket falling off the last ball, certainly did not push victory out of the home side’s reach but the Sandiacre bowling attack rarely makes any chase an easy one.
Strikes from Ryan MacFadyean, John Jordison and Dan Wheeldon left Denby 49-3, though Danny Burgoyne (32) and Wilson (31) added 48 for the fifth wicket to put the outcome back in the balance again at 124-4.
Connor Marshall (3-48) stepped in to remove the fifth-wicket pair and Matt Newbold (4-8) finished it off as Denby wilted to 143 all out and Sandiacre took their first Premier
Division title since 2017.
That left Ockbrook & Borrowash having to be content with the runners-up spot after a 148-run victory which condemned Chesterfield to relegation.
Mykylo Bird (39) and Josh Lacey (78) added 72 for the second wicket as Ockbrook won the toss and Ethan Berlusconi’s brisk 82, with three sixes and six fours, set up a score of 257-5.
Chesterfield had to win but Gareth Young (4-34) and Miles Hayhurst (3-27) gave them no chance at 60-8. Matt Critchley (21) and David Hunt (33) attempted resistence only for Lacey (2-17) to leave them 109 all out.
Morton Colliery ended their first season in Greenhouse Café Division One with victory over Cutthorpe and an excellent fourth-place finish.
Ben Green (44) and Shaun Levy (36) set the table for Hashen Ramanayake (86 not out) to fire seven sixes and six fours as Cutthorpe set a challenging 216-8, Jack Jarvis taking 3-45.
But Alex Eyre (61) and Ashley
Caunt (35) gave Morton a solid base before Sunil Bhatt (24 not out) and Jack Stone (20 not out) saw their side home by four wickets with five overs to spare.
Duffield were hustled out for 99 by Wirksworth & Middleton but hit back for a nine-run win at Eyes Meadow.
That was harsh on Max Marshall, who swept all before him with figures of 8-13 for Wirksworth, only Jack Wyatt (22) and Paul Bakel (28) holding out for long.
Richard Gregson (7-14) and Joe Wozniczka-Wells (2-26) provided Duffield’s answer and the away side was dismissed for 90, Harsha Vithana (18), Michael Jefferiss (23) and Jack Allen (15) top scoring.