Leaders reeling from shock defeat

By gpearson

LONGTON remain on top, but suffered only their second defeat of the season as they endured a shock five-wicket loss at struggling Leek.

Jamie Cullerton's men threw away the form book by dismissing their visitors for 158 after they looked well placed at 65-1.

Veteran left-arm spinner Colin Dearden did the main damage with 4-37 from 12.1 overs.

Longton's main resistance came from youngster Alex Thorley, who struck 43 and from reliable opening bat Mike Longmore, who struck 41.

In-form Rob Hayden (32) and young Alex Mellor (25) gave Leek a sound start with an opening stand of 49 and laid the platform for professional, West Indian Kevin Stoute, to provide a match-winning innings of 66 from just 52 balls, including three huge sixes.

Leek's victory takes them out of the relegation places and leaves Longton just two points in front of Knypersley, after Paul Goodwin's side thrashed reigning champions Moddershal to leave them deep in relegation trouble.

Knypersley will fancy their chances of claiming top spot next week as they entertain bottom side Leycett.

Moddershall had no answer to Knypersley's Darren Butler (3-45) and Andy Marshall (4-17) as they were shot-out for 104.

Only Rob Bagnall, with a run-a-ball 26, and Simon Hemmings's 21 gave any real resistance.

In reply, Jon Cumberbatch's 114-ball vigil for 35 ensured there were no major hiccups for the visitors, despite the best efforts of Matt Stupples, who took 3-50.

Moddershall are now only three points in front of bottom-of-the-table Leycett, who performed well in their draw at Audley.

Tas Hussain's unbeaten 53 was the mainstay of Leycett's 210-8 and he was given stout support from professional Dinesh Darshanpriya, who hit 45.

Indeed, at 143-3, it looked as if the visitors were destined for a far greater total, but they eventually had to bat the full 60 overs.

Indeed, the visitors may have now wished they had declared slightly earlier after having reduced Audley to 162-7 at the close of play.

Veteran seamer Richard White shone with the ball once again with 3-40 from 20 tight overs, and Rob Heath also made a vital contribution with three valuable scalps. But Richard Holloway's half-century saw the home side through to a winning draw to keep them in mid-table.

Wood Lane are having a great season and lie third after having much the better of a winning draw away at Burslem.

Matt Hagan's side posted a competitive 216-8 thanks to a half-century from Ashar Zaidi and sound contributions from Dan Brierley and Richard Hassall.

Michael Brown, with his left-arm spin, was by far the best of the home attack with 3-43 from 14 overs.

It seemed that Burslem were on target for victory as they cruised to 72 for no loss, with home skipper Chris Lowndes top scoring with 41. However, the introduction of in-form Steve Norcup (3-45) paid dividends for the Megacre outfit as they started to take wickets at regular intervals.

At 106-6, it looked as though another win for Wood Lane was on the cards, but a stubborn seventh-wicket stand between Kev Cockerton and Richard Mellor saw the home side claim a draw and finish on 155-8.

Wood Lane are 24 points off top spot, while Burslem's early form has deserted them in recent weeks.

In the remaining game, Little Stoke came within a wicket of defeating a visiting Stone side, who have at least improved of late.

The home side racked up a daunting 241-5dec in 58 overs.

A third-wicket partnership of 137 between ex-Staffs captain Richard Harvey (62) and Dan Hancock (86) saw Little Stoke overcome a shaky start after some tidy new-ball bowling by veteran Andy Winfield and Jonathan McCreadie.

Nick Bratt then followed up his unbeaten 22 at the end of the home side's innings with a devastating new-ball burst and left Stone reeling at 27-4.

Young Staffordshire all-rounder Russ Ballard's gutsy 43 seemed in vain as Stone were on the brink of defeat at 108-8.

But Chris Banks struck a superb unbeaten 62 batting at number nine, as he shared in ninth-wicket stand of 47 with Joseph Smith (20). When Smith was dismissed with the total on 155, it seemed Little Stoke would finally take maximum points, but Banks hadn't finished with his heroics and with veteran Winfield shared in match-saving last-wicket partnership of 34.

Nick Bratt returned outstanding figures 18-4-45-4, but it was in vain as Little Stoke rued not making up more ground on the top four.

ANTHONY BUNN