Langley Mill’s first team promotion prospects were significantly increased at Pilsley on Saturday when they breezed past the hosts to maintain second spot, three points clear of Alrewas in third. With a game in hand, the Millers have closed the gap on leaders Ockbrook & Borrowash to 37 points.
In overcast conditions, Langley Mill batted first and started steadily. Neil Wing, promoted to the firsts to replace the unavailable Jamie Salmons, contributed 21 before he was bowled by Michael Thompson with the score on 37. Thompson removed the other opener, Paul Bailey, caught by Saeed Bin Nasir, also for 21 to reduce the visitors to 71 for 2.
Andy Sibley, promoted to three, then joined Sajendra Thimal and the pair put on 60 for the third wicket before Sibley was run out for 36. Jay Holmes took Sibley’s place and took the Millers to maximum batting points before Thimal was caught by Bin Nasir, off Alex Beeson, for 72.
Langley Mill then lost Jack Scott, caught by keeper John Worthy, off Bin Nasir for a duck and Andrew Bailey, leg before to Beeson for a single. On 255, Beeson picked up his third when Holmes was caught by Mark Limb for 67.
Jeff Wharton (16 not out) and Dave Farnsworth (14 not out) took Langley Mill on to a competitive 271 for 7 at the end of their 46 overs.
For Pilsley, Beeson took 3 for 57 and Thompson 2 for 53.
Langley Mill knew they needed to tame prolific run scorer Bin Nasir to win the game and Holmes removed him off just the fifth ball of the innings, caught by Wharton without troubling the scorers.
From here, it was only a matter of time as the weak Pilsley batting line-up were no match for the Millers attack.
On 19, Grant Ball had Andrew Cooper caught by Andrew Bailey for 9 and the hosts then lost four wickets for only five runs to slump to 45 for 6.
Thimal removed Jack Warsop (13) and Limb, both caught and bowled in successive balls, while Scott bowled Worthy for 10 and Beeson for a duck.
Scott then demolished the tail forcing Steve Eaton to edge to keeper Sibley for 3 and getting Thompson in the same fashion for a defiant 25. Farnsworth had Amir Iqball caught by Holmes for 2 and Scott grabbed his fifth when Martin Crinks was caught behind for a duck as Pilsley were dismissed for just 74.
Scott was the clear pick, his eight overs returning figures of 5 for 10. Thimal’s two cost him 25 and there was a wicket each for Farnsworth, Holmes and Ball as the Millers ran out victors by a whopping 197 runs.
Scores: Pilsley (3pts) 74 all out [26.3 overs] (J Scott 5-10) lost to Langley Mill Utd (27pts) 271-7 [46 overs] (A Sibley 36, S Thimal 72, J Holmes 66, A Beeson 3-57) by 197 runs
