Mixed fortunes for Balderton and Collingham cricket teams in Notts Premier League Division Two

Newly-promoted Balderton made a strong start to their Notts Premier League Division Two campaign on Saturday.

They defeated Cuckney 2nds by seven wickets in their first match after moving up a level following last season’s success.

Captain Tim Clipsham had gone into the contest with high hopes about his side adapting to the much-tougher standard.

He said: “Top half would be a great finish for us although there are new teams we have never played before.

“Hopefully if we all play well and the season goes how we want it to, we should secure our goal of finishing in the top half.”

Hosts Cuckney had elected to bat first after winning the toss on Saturday with Balderton making an early breakthrough as Scott Barnsdale trapped opener Henry Styring’s leg before with just 17 runs on the scoreboard.

Will Bircumshaw joined opener Aled King and they added 66 runs for the second wicket until the match swung back in Balderton’s favour.

Aaron and Ryan Charlesworth claimed the wickets of King (38) and Bircumshaw (25) in quick succession with the latter also dismissing Mark Walker to leave Cuckney on 91-4.

Aaron Onyon then ended Cuckney’s next attempt at a revival by ousting Will Ullyott for 29 while Ryan Charlesworth completed his three-wicket haul by dismissing Jake Tong for 21.

Chris Dobbie then got in on the act with his first wicket of the game to leave Cuckney on 165-7 going into the tail end of their innings.

A 26-run stand for the eighth wicket saw the hosts rally until Onyon struck twice more to finish with 3-27 while Scott Barnsdale came back into the attack to take his second wicket as Cuckney were bowled out for 196.

Balderton lost two early wickets in their reply but that brought Shalith Fernando and skipper Clipsham together at the crease.

They put on a match-winning stand of 116 runs until Clipsham fell for a rapid 60 which came off just 37 balls and included six fours and four sixes.

Fernando was equally aggressive as he plundered 12 fours and five sixes to bring up his century as Balderton triumphed in the 26th over.

Collingham’s long-awaited return to the Notts Premier League Division Two ended in disappointment at Clipstone on Saturday.

Having taken three early wickets, the visitors continued to restrict the home batsmen right through until the 38th over when they were finally dismissed for 148.

Collingham were sharp in the field and the wickets were well shared around with Harry Sheppard recording the day’s best figures for the visitors (nine overs, two maidens, 2-25).

At the halfway point, Collingham were justifiably confident of victory, even acknowledging that the surface was not the easiest for scoring.

Alarm bells rang early in the Collingham reply as they found themselves three down in the tenth over with only 24 on the board.

But a fightback of sorts from skipper Oli Dyson and Andrew Laughton calmed nerves to an extent.

With 71 needed in 30 overs with seven wickets in hand and two batsmen set, all appeared to be heading in the right direction for the Dale Field outfit.

The loss of Laughton for 22 (from 38 balls) and later Dyson for 62 (from 85) ultimately did for Collingham though, with only Max Shenton at number 10 scraping double figures and no one else in the line-up getting past five.

All out for 120 with over half of the total going to the captain was concerning for Dyson when he summarised in his succinct style after the game.

He said: “It was the cliched game of two halves really.

“We bowled and fielded really well but let ourselves down with the bat.

“Even at three down we were cruising but then lost regular wickets on a difficult surface and couldn’t quite get over the line. We hope to see a reaction this week.”