BURTON managed to dodge the showers on Saturday to move another step closer to the Derbyshire County League’s Division Five South title.
The title is, however, still mathematically 64 points away because of secondplaced Winshill’s persistence, but Burton need only 10 more points to achieve their first goal, that of promotion.
Their latest win came at the expense of mid-table LULLINGTON PARK 3RDS, who were restricted to a below-par 123-9 in 45 overs.
Kamal Subhani (4-20) grabbed four wickets and only Stephen Dixon (30) made much of an impression with the bat.
It took Burton just 17.2 overs to wrap up the win after tea, with Anser Majid (36no) and Mohammed Waseem (37) providing the runs.
Three wickets were lost in the process and all were taken by Sean Fern, who finished with figures of 3-61.
Nearest challengers WINSHILL were also easy winners, against promotion rivals Littleover Centurions, but they remain a massive 45 points behind the leaders with four matches to play.
Anthony Adams (2-35) struck an early blow for the home side, but Littleover responded through Khurram Hussain (48) and Zain Ashfaq (32), who added 50 for the second wicket.
Neil Winfield (4-39) and Phil Jones (3- 17) then joined the fray and from a fairly healthy 100-3, the visitors slumped to a disappointing 127 all out in the 43rd over.
Winshill lost their skipper, Richard Marcer, after the break with the score on 13, but that was to be the only setback.
Opener Nigel West (60no) and number three Ed Moore (31no) had little trouble in scoring the required runs and victory came in the 31st over.
It was West’s sixth 50 in all competitions, to go with his two centuries. He now has 847 runs to his name and is the division’s leading run-scorer by some margin.
ROLLESTON 2NDS suffered a blow to their promotion hopes after their match against lowly Brailsford 2nds was cancelled, leaving them 54 points behind second-placed Winshill.
The bottom-of-the-table clash between Derby Congs 2nds and ALREWAS 2NDS was going very much in the home side’s favour until rain brought a premature end to proceedings.
Congs had posted a solid 216-9 from 46 overs despite good bowling from Chris Abell (3-59) and the experienced Tim Watson (4-43).
Runs from Ali Shakil (42) and Mark Baines (56) gave Congs the edge.
James Fern (31) and Costas Marcou (43) responded well for Alrewas, but wickets for Usman Siddiqi (3-14) and Kamran Afsar (4-38) left the visitors in trouble at 111-8 after 30 overs.
It was then that the rain came and Alrewas went home with a useful 11 points — more than they would probably have got had the match run its full course.
They remain in 11th place, but the teams above them are well within reach.
TUTBURY 2NDS are virtually home and dry in Division Six South following an easy victory over Nutbrook 2nds — a win that means they now lead the division by a massive 74 points with just four matches remaining.
Dan Edgerton (3-35) reduced Nutbrook to 6-2, then 35-3, but the home side rallied thanks to Dan Kerry (44no) and Adam Brooks (35).
They reached a much healthier 133-4, but Andy Whittingham (2-40) and Mike Whittingham (2-18) restored Tutbury’s advantage and Nutbrook were eventually restricted to 163-8 from 43 overs.
It was never going to be enough, especially after Andy Whittingham (30) and Jason Yates (48) had added 82 for the first wicket, and Tutbury romped home by seven wickets in the 38th over.
Adam Brooks (2-27) provided a brief scare, but Colin Skitrall (44no) and Mike Whittingham (24no) made no mistake.
TRENTSIDE 2NDS lost ground in second place after their match against Spondon 3rds had to be abandoned in the second over after tea.
Trentside were left with just seven points from the match after being dismissed for a lowly 122.
Rich Seaborn (39) made the only impression against excellent bowling from Charlie Fearn-Wright (3-15) and Matt Hind (4-41).
Spondon were 1-0 in reply but rain prevented any further play.
One piece of good news for Trentside was the fact that promotion rivals Mickleover 2nds suffered defeat to BARTON 3RDS, who did their own survival hopes the power of good by recording a sevenwicket victory.
Impressive bowling from Andy Chambers (3-11), Simon Carfoot (3-50) and Nick Phillips (4-73) saw Mickleover bowled out for 164.
However, Barton’s task would have been much easier had it not been for the battling Keiron Preston, who finished unbeaten on 90.
Oliver Cammidge (2-39) took two early wickets as Barton replied, but Stephen Cole (34) and Simon Hollands (55no) got the innings back on track with a solid partnership.
Marcus McKay (2-22) also posed a significant threat, but Hollands fought on and steered his side across the finishing line in the 42nd over.
UTTOXETER took maximum points from their match against Castle Donington Town and it means they are now just 31 points adrift of the promotion places.
Dominic Mattock (4-76) engineered a poor Uttoxeter start, but the visitors stormed back through Alex Hannon, who cracked an impressive 107.
He combined brilliantly with the equally superb Jan Kasperowicz (44) and Tim Powell (75no) and Uttoxeter reached a mammoth 326-6.
A brave Donington response, led by Mattock (65), fell a long way short on 197, with Mike Skelham claiming an excellent 3-40.
