Alliance Midweek Cricket League Handbook 2011

pitch and nonchalantly taking the ball on the full and flicking it to the boundary. Away from home they were occasionally vulnerable, but were worthy winners of the division. Behind them, De La Salle and the Meersbrook ‘Meerkats’ were locked in a season long tussle for the second spot. De La Salle relied on solid bowling and steady ba9ng, whereas Meersbrook were the more mercurial, Russell Walch enjoying a marvellous season with the bat, hi9ng just shy of 350 runs at nearly 50. However, there was nothing solid and steady about SamWainwright’s innings against Woodhouse as he hit a staggering 133 not out from just52 balls. Unfortunately, this counted for nothing as the rain came and De La Salle’s innings would not count towards their net run rate for the season. Going into the final round of games, De La Salle were 2 points behind Meersbrook. The rain caused Meersbrook’s game to be abandoned and De La Salle’s game was conceded to them. Both team’s had won 7 and lost 3, so they had to be separated by net run rate. A'er some tense calcula7ons, De La Salle’s captain Dickie Bulmer, was aghast to find that his teamwas 0.03 of a run behind Meersbrook. Maybe it was the game against struggling Sharrow that cost them, where De La Salle conceded too many runs and Sharrow bowler Salim Khan routed their ba9ng, returning the best figures of the summer - a truly remarkable 7 for 8 from 4 overs. However, Salim was pipped to the bowling award by Norton Oakes’ James Winnard, whose 20 wickets came at a shade under 8.50 apiece. At the foot of the table, both Woodhouse and Richmond had poor seasons and were quickly le' adri' by the other teams. Division C The two promo7on places were seemingly pre-ordained and virtually unchallenged all season. Ridgeway were 8 points clear of third placed Hallam Lodgers, whilst worthy champions Hollinsend remained unbeaten all summer. Hollinsend had powerful hi8ers, led by Richard Wadsworth who hit over 280 runs at more than 55, twice coming close to centuries. Their bowling was also more than useful, with the youthful Ryan Sharp snaffling 17 wickets at 7 each. At the foot of the table, there was a real tussle between Transport, Brincliffe, TRS and Dronfield Sports for unenviable posi7on of the wooden spoon in the League. Sports ‘won’ the award a'er a miserable season and unfortunately have now folded. An ignominious and sad end to a once powerful club who un7l recently were a real force in local league cricket. Mark Simmerson 22