Eccleshall continue push for promotion with fine success

ECCLESHALL continue to set the standard in NSSCL Premier B after beating bottom-of-the-table Leycett.

- By Chris Travers

The table-toppers are 15 points clear at the summit after banking yet another success.

They were in dominant form with the bat first of all as they amassed 293-6 declared from 47 overs in Saturday's encounter.

The tone was set by Eccleshall openers Ben Rogerson and Chris Plant, who put on 112 for the first wicket.

Rogerson hit 13 fours in his 63, with Plant's 57 featuring nine boundaries.

Greg Clark then took centre stage with a rapid 98, hitting 12 fours and three sixes along the way.

Rhys Owens chipped in with 31 late on, while Jaidel Richardson and Isaac McDonald took two wickets each for the visitors.

Leycett showed plenty of spirit in their reply, not least Richardson who plundered six fours and seven sixes in his 77.

Reece White made 43 and Matt Johnson contributed 27, but Leycett were eventually dismissed for 231.

Andrew Calvert and Matthew Wright picked up 4-58 and 3-57 respectively, with Myles Coughlan claiming a double.

Second-placed Wood Lane maintain the pressure on the leaders by winning their home derby against Bignall End.

Bignall End were in all sorts of trouble early on as they tumbled to 22-6.

However, Hamid Ali orchestrated a fine recovery to enable the away side to finish on 162 all out.

Ali smashed 12 fours and six sixes in his 95, with support coming from Aunn Shah (15), Ali Khan-Ahmadzai (12) and Ben Dixon (10).

Zaighum Abbas (5-37) and Eddie Visser (4-30) took the bowling plaudits for Wood Lane.