Just as the title run-in starts in earnest, Stone Cricket Club’s 1st XI moved to the top of the Premier League on Saturday thanks to an emphatic 10-wicket victory at Longton.
Jimmy Dawson, standing in for the holidaying Richard Harvey, won the toss and asked the home side, without four players following a recent disciplinary hearing and with all-rounder Rob Hemmings away with Derbyshire, to bat first. An opening four-wicket blast from Matt Coxon, including the prolific Dave Wheeldon first ball, plus a wicket for Kyle Melis saw Longton reduced to 20-5. Despite a stand of 62 between stand-in captain Craig Barker and Luke Woodward, Longton only partially recovered and Coxon returned to polish off the tail with Barker succumbing for a valiant 49 as Longton were dismissed for 116 in the 39th over. Coxon finished with figures of 6-42 from 12 overs. Left-arm spinner Steve Morgan also chipped in with a couple of wickets.
Stone made light work of the response as they passed Longton score in the 16th over with skipper Dawson 56 and Luke Cheadle 59 both making aggressive unbeaten half centuries to take Stone three points clear at the top.
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Stone SP 1st came up against Rode Park for the 3rd time this season and for the 3rd time came out on the wrong end of the result. Batting first Stone looked to have recovered from a shaky start with Dave Pashley 73 and Nick Cooper 62 compiling a century stand for the 3rd wicket. George Hawbrook added a mature 57 with Shaff Hussain chipping in with 28 to see SP to a more than respectable 244 all out from 51 overs. In response though, the table topping visitors made excellent use of a flat wicket and a wayward opening attack to race to victory for the loss of only 4 wickets in just 36 overs. There were solid contributions throughout the highlight being an unbeaten 85 from Pro Jalat Khan to go with his 3 wickets earlier in the day.
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At Oulton Stone SP 2nd put up a spirited display against the 3rd place side. Batting first, Oulton rattled up 242 for 8 declared thanks largely to an unbeaten 118 from Ben Clegg. Wickets were shared amongst the visiting bowlers with Mark Townsend the most successful with 2-51. In reply SP lost 3 early wickets before Matt Hubbart, eventually run out for 79 and Mickey Chandler with 22 restored some respectability to the scorecard. Rob Pochwyt struck a hard hitting unbeaten 30 but the rest of the SP batting was unable to withstand the left arm wiles of spinner Mickey Arnold who finished with 5-28 from 9 overs
