Gunarathne stars with bat and ball as Burslem beat rivals in bid for promotion

Burslem maintained their push for promotion from NSSCL Premier B after beating fellow top-two hopefuls Cheadle.

- Chris Travers

The two sides are now locked on 296 points in third and fourth - two off a coveted promotion spot - after their weekend meeting.

Burslem ventured to the crease first on home turf and managed to amass 179-9 from their 45 overs.

Sam Waterhouse (38), Dilesh Gunarathne (32), Eranga Dissanagge (22) and Callum Harrison (21no) teamed up to help the home side to their total.

James Sellers captured 3-31 for Cheadle and there were a couple of wickets apiece for William Dobbie and Matt Goodwin.

Ali Khan spearheaded the Moorlanders’ reply with 59, which included eight fours.

And although Goodwin weighed in with 33, Cheadle were eventually bowled out for 158.

Gunarathne was the star of the show with the ball for Burslem, finishing with 4-14, while Dissanagge and Waterhouse shared four wickets.

Whitmore are in second place after winning at leaders Eccleshall.

But the table-toppers are still well set for elevation as they sit 33 points clear with four matches to play.

Eccleshall, as expected, posed a stern challenge and stuck 245-8 on the board from their 45 overs in the first half.

It was a team effort with the bat as Dan Byatt (43no), Connor Beasley (42), Greg Clark (29), Rhys Owens (23) and Matthew Wright (22no) all contributed.

Matt McAll helped himself to 5-50 for Whitmore - but it still needed a big batting performance by the visitors to maintain their top-two quest.

But they delivered in style as they wrapped up a two-wicket success with four balls of the contest remaining.