The long journey to Clowne Town is never one that the Millers look forward to.
Always tough to beat on their home territory, Clowne are traditionally one of Langley Mill's bogey teams. This week was no exception!
The hosts batted first and were so
on in trouble thanks to the Millers' opening attack of Dave Farnsworth and Jack Scott.
Farnsworth had Andrew Smalley caught by Paul Bailey without scoring, while Scott bowled Simon Fonceca for 13. Nigel Spencer was caught by Farnsworth, off Andrew Bailey's bowling for 15 and it was left to Josh Womble and Dale Steers to lift Clowne off the floor.
Steers contributed 25 before he became Bailey's second victim and the Langley Mill skipper grabbed a third when Womble attempted a reverse sweep only to see the ball drop into the safe hands of Farnsworth. Womble's contribution was a hard earned 52.
Matthew Linacre hit 20 before he was caught by Bailey, off Farnsworth, then Scott ripped through the tail, picking up the wickets of Chris Ashley, Jonathan Bushell and Steve Bennett to finish with figures of 4 for 31. Farnsworth returned 2 for 31 and Bailey 3 for 44 as Clowne slumped to 165 all out in the 45th over.
In reply, the Millers started well on the slow track. Brothers Andrew and Paul Bailey opened as usual and put on 46 for the first wicket before Andrew was out leg before to Bennett for 10.
Scott went next with the score on 60, bowled by Bennett for ten, and at 78, the visitors lost Aaron Tullett, also leg before to Bennett, for six.
Danny Hanson became Bennett's fourth victim, again falling for a duck, and it was left to Paul Bailey and Sajendra Thimal to inch the Millers into three figures.
Bailey passed his 50, but fell soon after to the bowling of Dale Steers for 53.
Thimal was bowled by Andrew Hulet for 21 and the Millers were hoping that there would be a repeat performance of last week's heroics by the tailenders.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be and the Millers tail failed to wag. James Harrison and Craig Parker both fell to Hulet for six and Steers grabbed the last two wickets in the final over that the Millers had been gifted by bowling out Clowne early.
With an agonising one ball remaining, the Millers were all out for 148, to leave Clowne the victors by 17 runs.
Wing blasts seconds to a
comfortable win over neighboursA superb bowling performance by the Millers' young attack and a blistering 90 not out from Neil Wing saw Langley Mill's second team to a convincing eight wicket success against neighbours Marehay 3rds.
Batting first, the visitors were tied down by a first class bowling performance by all the Millers bowlers.
Led by experienced skipper Rich Davey, the young bowling line up of Scott Parkin, Jamie Salmons, Jay Holmes and Luke Rowley tied down the visitors and restricted them to only 136 runs.
Nineteen-year-old Parkin picked up four wickets for 31 from his eleven overs and Rowley grabbed two wickets at a cost of 24 runs from his 11 overs in a spell where he beat the bat time after time.
Davey returned figures of 2 for 24 from his 12 overs and Salmons grabbed the wicket of first teamer Dave Buckley, caught behind by Barry Ottewell for only three.
With such a low total to aim at, the Millers batsmen had no problems, racing to a 22 point success by eight wickets.
Wing was in fine form and resisted a natural tendency to hit every ball out of the ground in an innings of great maturity. Punishing every bad ball, Wing finished unbeaten on 90, which included 7 fours and 6 sixes.
Dave Hallsworth, playing his first game of the season, impressed with 30, before being bowled by Darren Hooley, and Grant Ball hit five runs before he was caught by John Grimadell, off Chris Bradder's bowling.
The Millers raced to an early finish with 15 overs remaining and go into next week's double header weekend brimming with confidence.
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