Eccleshall win battle of high-fliers to remain top of NSSCL Division Three
Eccleshall maintained their place at the top of NSSCL Division Three after beating fellow high-fliers Betley.
The pair served up a high-scoring encounter, with Eccleshall eventually prevailing by 12 runs against their third-placed rivals.
A first-wicket partnership of 133 between Harry Oliver and Zak Mosam set Eccleshall on their way to an imposing 253-4 from their 40 overs.
Oliver hit 12 fours in his 85, while Mosam’s 65 featured 10 boundaries.
Deklan Binnington then blazed three fours and five sixes in a 26-ball 50 not out, with Jordan Beasley chipping in with an unbeaten 26. Jack Taylor took two wickets.
Betley didn’t shy away from that tough target as Jonathan Phipps made 62 - hitting 10 fours and two maximums - and Tom Happe weighed in with 56. His knock contained eight boundaries.
Bailey Sant (22), Ryan Cheetham (21) and Adam Rowley (20) also made starts, but Betley fell just short on 241 all out.
Jack Armstrong and Alistair Hunt captured 4-21 and 3-35 respectively.
Hanford are in second place following their win at Bagnall Norton seconds.
Half-centuries from Muhammad Afzaal and Abeed Akhtar powered Hanford to 219-8 from their allocation.
Afzaal top-scored with 53, featuring eight fours and one six, with Akhtar finding the boundary on eight occasions in his 50.
Uttam Das and Ashish Kohli both made 25, with Dan Hall (24) and Abid Hussain (23) were also in handy form.
Alex Dodd, Matthew Reynolds and Nick Aitken shared six of the wickets to fall.
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Aitken then compiled 60 in Bagnall Norton’s run chase, with Ben Richardson adding 41 and Paul Tomkinson making 37.
However, Afzaal’s 3-34 and a couple of victims for Kohli left Bagnall Norton all out for 201.
Porthill Park thirds banked the points from their visit to Leek seconds.
Porthill Park were reduced to 48-6 in the early stages of the contest, but they rallied superbly to make 160-9.
Chris Matthews led the recovery with an unbeaten 90, which included eight fours and six sixes.
Adam Rutterford (4-19) and Brad Grindey (3-25) did the bulk of the damage for the Moorlanders.
Grindey then top-scored with 25, but Leek were dismissed for 98 in their reply.
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Ethan Plummer fronted the Porthill Park bowling attack with 4-19, with the remaining wickets being shared by Joseph Price, Charlie Tatton and Daniel Brownsword.
Oakamoor seconds swept to a nine-wicket victory at home against Audley 2nd XI.
Thomas Hayes’ 4-16, allied to a double strike from Harry Smith, limited Audley to 129 all out.
Matthew Hammersley made 57 for the visitors, striking seven fours, with Muhammad Ismail weighing in with 31.
Oakamoor eased to the points as Sam Welton made 60 not out and Gary Wright finished unbeaten on 51.
Welton’s knock contained six boundaries, with Wright’s innings featuring five fours.
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Onneley were five-wicket winners in their home clash with Longton seconds.
Adam Edwards and Mehmood Farrukh scooped 4-17 and 3-36 respectively to leave Longton all out for 155.
Antonio Alles (40), Mat Phillips (25), Abdul Basit (21) and Alen Alex (20) made the most progress with the bat.
Onneley needed just 19.4 overs to knock off the runs as Mirza Ausaf smashed 12 fours and four sixes in his 83. Deeji Sebastian took 3-23.
Barlaston seconds won by four wickets at Bignall End 2nd XI.
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Double strikes from Elliot Wilson, Michael Arnold and Theo Whimpanny limited Bignall End to 106-9, in which George Clay made 32. Rob Aked (29no) and Mat Morray (28no) then dealt with batting business to see Barlaston over the line, despite Clay’s 3-20.