Balderton and Collingham cricket clubs enjoying life in Notts Premier League Division Two

Halfway through their league campaign and Balderton and Collingham cricket clubs are enjoying the challenge of competing at a higher level.

Both sides were promoted from South Notts League Division A last season and now compete in the Notts Premier League Division Two.

The competition has already provided the sides with some entertaining and excellent cricket, alongside some impressive individual efforts.

After a challenging start, Balderton sit in fourth while Collingham are in eighth in the ten-league division.

“You don’t get freebies in this league, it is a good standard,” said Balderton captain Tim Clipsham.

Balderton lost to league leaders West Bridgfordians on Saturday and face second-placed Cavaliers and Carrington, but Clipsham is enjoying the tough test.

“It is interesting playing against these clubs,” he said. “A lot of these teams we haven’t played before and we are enjoying competing against new players.

“We are looking forward to a good second half of the season and I am happy with the performance of the team so far.”

The Balderton team is virtually unchanged from the one that won promotion last season, with the exception of new player Aaron Keverne-Onyon, who has proven to be a valued addition.

He was the top-scorer with the bat in last week’s defeat, scoring 41 off 38 balls.

The stand-out with the bat this season for Balderton has undoubtedly been Shalith Fernando.

The Sri Lankan has been devastating with the bat at times, he holds the top team score of 136 which he achieved in the game against Caythorpe.

The captain has been leading by example with a strike rate of over 95 when at the crease, Tom Shephard heads the bowling figures with 14 wickets this season.

Meanwhile, although Collingham are still finding their feet in the division, captain Oli Dyson says his players are enjoying the new league.

Dyson said Saturday’s defeat to Mansfield Hosiery Mills was easily his side’s worst performance of the season.

He said they were finding the matches challenging but rewarding.

“We are enjoying the challenge and the step up in cricket,” Dyson said.

“It’s taken us some time to adapt to the new rules and the win/lose format but with the setback of having no professional for seven weeks now, I feel we have competed and done really quite well, when you consider most sides have at least one paid player.

“We are a young side with three players under 18, the youngest being Ben Jones who has already scored his first premier league half century, aged 14.

“We have now had our overseas professional arrive so hopefully he can improve us and get us over the line in games where we’ve fell just short so far.

“The club is in such a great place, our playing numbers are higher than ever, the quality of players we have is better than ever and our ladies and junior sections are thriving.

“All in all, Collingham cricket club is a great place to be and hopefully the first team can have a great second half of the season to add to that.”

The captain heads the batting score, leading the team with 322 across the competition.

Wicket-keeper Cav King top-scored for the team with 109 during the recent 249-run demolition of Cuckney Cricket Club, a match that has easily been the highlight of the season so far for Collingham.

The 109 runs achieved by Cav King in that innings is also the highest individual score for the team this season so far.

Max Shenton has taken 18 wickets so far this season with Liam Tew holding the best bowling figures in a single match with a notable four for 22.

There is still a lot of cricket to be played by both teams in the season and it will be interesting to see how things pan out.