Sellers century starts an Endon promotion party
CONGRATULATIONS to Endon who made it back-toback title triumphs by being crowned NSSCL Division Two champions on Saturday.
The Post Lane club topped Division Three last summer and will now by playing second-tier cricket in 2020 after cruising past Silverdale to rubber-stamp their elevation.
There was also the satisfaction of exacting revenge on Silverdale, who remain the only side to beat Marlon Martin’s men in the league this season.
Endon set sail towards the title by posting 262-7 after being asked to bat.
Jordan Weaver (70) and Nick Atkinson (35) laid firm foundations which were built on by George Sellers.
Sellers compiled an excellent 100 not out, which featured nine fours and five sixes, to put the game out of the visitors’ reach.
Matthew Baker took 3-79 for Silverdale, who could only manage to field 10 players.
Baker (37no) and Mick Moore (24) attempted to deny Endon, but it wasn’t enough and Silverdale were bowled out for 105.
Fittingly, skipper Martin was the bowling hero as he claimed 5-18 to ensure that the party could get started.
All eyes are now on who will be joining them in making the step up.
Leycett are currently in second, three points clear of Kidsgrove, after seeing off the challenge of Alsager.
Dan Redfern was in imperious form for Leycett on the road as he constructed a fine 109 to form the backbone of his side’s 225 all out.
Redfern stroked 11 fours and plundered half-a-dozen sixes to power Leycett on, despite Gareth Rowe taking 5-56.
Sam Goodwin (35) and Sean Price (33) made decent starts for Alsager after tea, but Andrew Cooper’s 4-40, plus three wickets apiece from Redfern (3-7) and Matt Johnson (3-35) left Alsager all out for 124.
Kidsgrove aren’t giving up on nabbing second spot, though, after a five-wicket win at home against Meir Heath.
Leicestershire seamer Chris Wright (5-27) and Anthony Sheeran (3-29) were in top touch with the ball to instigate Meir Heath’s downfall to 97 all out.
Captain Dale Heath was a one-man show in the resistance stakes as he made 58 not out, off 143 balls. He hit seven fours and one six.
Heath then claimed 3-40 in the Grove reply, but Tom Coppenhall’s 31 and Adeel Khalid’s unbeaten 25 steered Darren Long’s men to their target.
Bottom-of-the-table Woore are now 23 points from safety, with just two matches left, after losing at home to Barlaston.
It was the new ball which accounted for Woore as Derbyshire’s James Taylor and Jack Davies ran through the home side’s line-up. Taylor took 4-4 from seven overs and Davies added 3-19 from 14 as Woore were bundled out for 48. Captain Tas Hussain made 48.
There was plenty of fight from Woore in the field, though, as George Walker scooped 3-23.
But Barlaston always had enough to complete a sixwicket win.
Stafford remain secondfrom-bottom of the standings - although only three points behind Meir Heath - after losing to Porthill Park at Riverway.
Visitors Porthill Park made the most of the batting conditions to amass 266-7 from their 55 overs.
Thomas Longworth (70) and Jake Plummer (59) both hit half-centuries, while Simon Wood added 46.
Guy Seaton and Rob James picked up a couple of wickets apiece.
Ethan Sheriff (51) fronted the Stafford reply, and although there were three contributions of 24 from Seaton, James and Martin Brazier, Stafford were dismissed for 169.
Liam Hassett and Harry Bailey claimed 4-36 and 3-26 respectively.
Bignall End remain in trouble after losing heavily at Norton in Hales.
Bignall End, sitting just seven points clear of danger, were routed for a mere 62 as Kashif Ali Moon (4-26), Jack Furnival (3-11) and Michael Dyer (3-16) made merry.
Norton in Hales had few concerns in overhauling that meagre target as Chris Dyer’s 37 not out sealed an eightwicket triumph.