Lea & Roses stay top of the pile with big win over Killamarsh

Lea & Roses first team travelled away to Killamarsh Juniors II this weekend in week 14 of the Bassetlaw Division Two.

Killamarsh won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first.

With absence of skipper West, Mardle and Needham opened the batting. The pair were positive from the off, striking boundaries in quick time.

Bowler Williams was removed from the attack mid over for excessive high bowling which brought youngster Calley into the attack.

It wasnt long before Calley got his reward, Mardle brought out his fabled cover drive, and was well caught by Bridger with the score on 40.

This brought Snee to the fray, the score moved on in good time to 78. However, Snee was caught at mid wicket by Parkes, after not fully getting hold of one, giving Caley his second.

This was probably an unfortunate wicket to take for the home side as this brought the in form Cooper out of the hutch.

With Needham looking settled by now, the pair proved too much for the home attack, putting on 142 runs in a record partnership for Lea & Roses.

As both bats passed the half century mark the home side were visibly wilting in the field and it wasn’t until the Lea & Roses pair were looking to get to three figures that they made the breakthrough.

At 220 Needham finally gave up a chance and was caught in the deep for a quality knock of 87, and just four runs later Cooper followed him with Caley taking the catch leaving the Lea & Roses batsman 18 runs short of his century.

Keightley came out and knocked the ball around nicely, Smith joined him for a brief moment, before being bowled first nut, and Woolley replaced him.

After 46 overs, Lea & Roses had amassed a formidable looking 244 runs.

After tea Lea & Roses headed out into the field. Dewick took the first over ahead of Smith and the home sides intentions were made quickly clear as they looked to be positive from the off.

They moved quickly on to 19 before the dangerous looking Parkes was well taken by Cooper in the gully off the bowling of Smith.

But far from offering respite, the lost wicket ushered in Williams, who along with Hurst moved the score along briskly to 75. For the first time in the match, the visitors were looking under pressure.

Smith gave way to Cooper and with such positive batting on show, the chances were bound to come. First, Williams skyed an attempted pull to Tittley and then Gregory thick edged one to Smith at gulley. Orton, who had replaced Dewick then got in on the action, removing Ryan for a duck leg before.

Cooper took care of the stubborn Hurst courtesy of a catch by Snee, before cleaning up Griffiths to leave the home side in disarray at 86 for 6.

Just four runs later Halliwell became his 5th victim and all that remained was for Orton to mop up the tail with Singh being the last man out with the score on 104, giving him his fourth victim. A good 20 points for Lea & Roses who stay top of the league.

Lea & Roses II welcomed a depleted eight-man Killamarsh III to Roses. Lea & Roses won the toss and elected to bowl. Metcalfe opened up with Clay and the pair stifled the opening batsmen from scoring freely from the start. Metcalfe made the first breakthrough, with a nice catch from skipper Overson behind the stumps and then clean bowled the Killamarsh number 3.

Marshall and Newton replaced the openers and the wickets carried on falling with Killamarsh hardly moving their total along. Marshall took one and Newton bagged 4, including a stumping and another catch for Overson behind the stumps, which saw Newton pass 20 wickets for the season securing his place in the bowling honours list. All out, Killamarsh made 62.

The play switched straight around after such a short innings, and Lea & Roses opened up with Gregory and Saunders. The opening pair were going along nicely, taking chunks out of Killamarsh’s total until a mix up left Saunders run out for 10. Clay was the next man in and along with Gregory knocked the total off within 12 overs, scoring 23 and 26 respectively, securing 20 points for Lea & Roses.

Lea & Roses III narrowly lost by 1 wicket to Wiseton in Division 8. Lea & Roses batted first and put on a good 139 from their 40 overs, however, Wiseton knocked off the total, for 9, with 8 overs to go.

Adam Orton was the pick of the Lea & Roses bowlers with 4 wickets for 27 from 7 overs.

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