Worksop: Clumber come unstuck with a home defeat

After some early sparring between the teams Blidworth wrestled control as Clumber subsided from the relative calm of 40-2 to an dire position of 60-6.

The hosts fought back thanks to a stoical lower order rearguard, led by Warren Rhodes (33).

Excellent contributions from Al Skinner (28), Callum Rutherford (20) and Will Walker (18) helped the score to a competitive 159 all out at the interval.

James Wood was the pick of the Blidworth bowling with 3-28.

Clumber then got a dream start with the ball with Gaz Beard breaking through in his first over to remove Craig Turton for a duck.

But Blidworth recovered well to progress past 50 with few other alarms.

However, Mark Dean (2-33) then entered the attack to immediately dismiss dangerman David Wilcock for 35.

And when Piers Hampson (2-28) took two wickets, it was anyone’s game with the visitors at 65-4.

Clumber were the side with their tails up having battled their way back into the game again.

However, Gaz Ellis (42) weathered the storm to play the day’s defining knock to turn it Blidworth’s way.

Skinner was the other Clumber wicket taker but it wasn’t enough as Connor Crofts (27no) saw Blidworth home at 160-6.

Elsewhere, in Division One leaders Firbeck Colliery slipped up with a 58-run defeat to Mansfield on a weekend when the top three at the start of play all lost.

Firbeck bowled well to restrict Mansfield to 182 with only Australian Blake Walter (89) providing lasting resistance.

Adam Dutton (3-21) and Nathan Parry (3-54) were the leading lights for Firbeck with the ball.

However, Walter proved he was more than just a big-hitting batsman as he tore apart the Firbeck reply with 6-22.

Only Tom Barker (35) and James Cook (27) got going as Firbeck were bundled out for 124 to leave them 16 points clear of Edwinstowe at the top, with Mansfield up to third.

Edwinstowe lost to Retford, who moved back into the promotion picture as a result.

Batting first, Edwinstowe were restricted to 160-8 and the target proved within Retford’s grasp as half-centuries from Mark Bull (59) and Chandra Kumara (58no) saw them home by four wickets at 161-6.

In the Championship, Connor Smith hit 76 as Worksop beat Clipstone by 35 runs.

Smith’s effort helped Worksop to 235 all out and Bernhard Beukman then took 3-24 as Clipstone were dismissed for 201 in reply.

Anston lost by 118 runs at Farnsfield, despite Amila Perera hitting 70, as they were bowled out for 158 in reply to Farnsfield’s 276-4.

And Kiveton Park were thrashed by 202 runs at Thoresby Colliery after being skittled for just 53 in reply to Thoresby’s 255-8.