Alliance Midweek Cricket League Handbook 2013

22 Premier Division Rain was the dominating factor throughout the whole League, as it was for all cricket last summer. Attock started the season as firm favourites to defend their title and they duly obliged, winning every single game they completed. Sheffield Collegiate, as in 2011 were the closest challengers to Attock. Frecheville were promoted in 2011, but despite their youthful team competing valiantly, they could only muster 2 wins all summer. Al- Mahdi also just won a brace of games and were likewise relegated. Frecheville did have the satisfaction of seeing their talented young batsman Todd Saxelby being the Division’s leading run-scorer with 269 at 38.4. Not unsurprisingly, there were no centuries last term, the highest individual score being from Sheffield Friends batter Jhonny Younis, smacking a belligerent 85 not out, made from just 32 balls with 6 4s and 7 6s. More surprising was the fact that no bowler in the Division (and indeed the whole League) took over 20 wickets, with the 16 wickets at a remarkable 5.4 from Nazakat Hussain of Darnall was the best tally in the Premier Division. Nazakat also had the best figures – 5/11 against Attock. Final Table P W L T C lc wc pe Pts Attock CC...........................................14 9 0 0 5 0 0 0 32 Sheffield Collegiate CC ....................14 8 2 0 4 0 0 0 28 Darnall CC ........................................14 7 3 0 4 0 0 0 25 Khan CC ...........................................14 4 5 1 4 0 0 0 18 Sheffield Friends CC ........................14 4 6 0 4 0 0 0 16 Sheffield Waterworks CC ................14 4 8 0 2 0 0 0 14 Al-Mahdi XI CC .................................14 2 8 1 3 0 0 0 11 Frecheville Community CC ..............14 2 8 0 4 0 0 0 10 Batting Award - Jaco Castle (Attock) 7 innings, 247 runs, ave 49.40 Bowling Award - Josh Varley (Sheff Collegiate) 15 wkts, 196 runs,ave 13.07 Division A Champions by a distance were Hollinsend Methodists, finishing a full 6 points (or 2 games) ahead of second placed TOA, who in turn finished well above the rest of the Division. If the top of the table quickly became a two horse race, the battle at the foot was closely fought, only being decided on the last week of the summer. Going into that final round, the bottom two clubs – University Staff and Norton Woodseats – could both escape if they won. They were denied the opportunity by the rain – indeed Norton Woodseats lost 6 games to the weather, more than any other club in the League. Outokumpo’s Tom Starkes was the leading run-scorer with 310 at 44.3 and Chris Jones notched up highest individual score and indeed was only century maker in the entire League, hitting 102 in 58 balls for Hollinsend against Norton Woodseats. Hollinsend’s aggressive young opening bowler was the leading wicket taker with 15 at 10.6, whilst the best figures were 5-15 from Mohammed Ijaaz of Nether Edge. Final Table P W L T C lc wc pe Pts Hollinsend Methodist CC ................14 8 1 0 5 0 0 0 29 TOA CC ..............................................14 6 3 0 5 0 0 8 23 Nether Edge CC ...............................14 5 5 0 4 0 0 0 19 Meersbrook CC ................................14 4 5 0 4 0 1 0 19 Abbeydale CC ...................................14 4 5 0 5 0 0 0 17 Outokumpo Stainless CC ................14 3 6 5 0 0 0 0 14 Sheffield University Staff CC ...........14 3 7 4 0 0 1 0 13 Norton Woodseats CC .....................14 3 4 6 1 0 0 0 12 Batting Award - Tom Starkes (Outokumpo) 9 inns, 310 runs, ave 44.29 Bowling Award - Ryan Sharp (Hollinsend) 15 wkts, 159 runs, ave 10.60 2012 Review and Tables