Super six from Dhapola is catalyst for Checkley win

DEEPAK Dhapola claimed a six-wicket haul as Checkley crushed Meakins in their NSSCL Premier A meeting.

- Chris Travers

It had been an indifferent start for both sides heading into Saturday's encounter at Ivy House Road.

But it was visitors Checkley who were left with the feel-good factor after Dhapola ran riot in Meakins' innings.

The home side were set 248 to win from their 45 overs, but folded to 53 all out in just 20.4 as Dhapola captured 6-23.

Nils Priestley weighed in with a couple of scalps, while Pete Wilshaw (10) was the only Meakins batsman to reach double figures.

Checkley had earlier amassed 247-9 from their allocation, centred around a 115-run third-wicket stand between Josh Hewitt and James Kettleborough.

Hewitt hit seven fours in his 60, with Kettleborough's 52 including four boundaries.

Priestley followed their lead with 47 to power Checkley to their total, with Elliot Boardwell (19) and James Abbotts (17) also chipping in.

Jalat Khan and Amaan Tariq scooped 3-26 and 3-52 respectively for Meakins, but their batting then failed as they slumped to the bottom of the table after a fourth defeat in five outings.

Longton made it back-to-back wins as they saw off Moddershall & Oulton in a thrilling, low-scoring match at Ripon Road.

Lee Ridgway's side had ended their run of three straight defeats by winning at Porthill Park the previous weekend.

And they proved that wasn't a flash in the pan as they held their nerve to clinch a four-run success on Saturday.

That didn't look likely at the halfway point of the contest after Longton were dismissed for just 95.

Alex Thorley (26) and Matheesha Perera (17) made the biggest impressions with the bat, but the hosts collapsed from 67-2.

That was down to Joseph Walley's 4-20, Danushka Sandaruwan's 3-0 and a couple of victims for skipper Sam Kelsall.