Defending champions West Indian Cavaliers were knocked out of the Royal London Club Championship in round three as warm weather greeted most teams on Sunday 1 June.
Despite only four miles separating Nottinghamshire-based Cavaliers, who won the competition last September, and Sandiacre Town, from Derbyshire, they play in different Premier Leagues.
And it was the Derbyshire outfit who won this contest by a resounding nine wickets.
Choosing to bat first, the Cavaliers were skittled for just 88 with only one player reaching double figures. All five bowlers used by Town snared two scalps apiece and they comfortably reached their target to book their place in round four.
A last-wicket stand of 52 between Martyn Farrell and Jamie Barnes proved crucial as Ormskirk defeated Nantwich by 36 runs.
They were in all sorts of trouble at 95 for nine but Farrell and Barnes, with 24 and 20 not out respectively, lifted Ormskirk to 147. The pair then shared four wickets as Nantwich were dismissed for 111.
Ashley Blanchard and Ollie Wright also produced a crucial lower-order partnership to help Banbury beat 2004 and 2008 champions Kibworth by one wicket.
Banbury, in pursuit of 126, were struggling at 53 for seven in bowler-friendly conditions before Blanchard and Wright joined forces.
The pair contributed 37 and 29 respectively to a stand of 71 and, after both fell with the score on 124, skipper Jimmy Phillips hit the winning runs.
A number of five-wicket hauls were taken around the country as bowlers expressed themselves in seamer-friendly conditions.
Chorley’s Will Moulton took an impressive 5-5 from six overs as the Northern Premier League team beat Darwen by nine wickets and Sussex Premier League side East Grinstead had Craig Fowlie to thank as his figures of 5-11 helped secure a comfortable 151-run win against Kent Premier League outfit Hartley Country Club. Charlie Griffiths’ 5-15 from nine overs was also key in Brentwood’s 10-run triumph over Essex Premier League rivals Wanstead & Snaresbrook.
Other players who took five wickets included South Wilts’ James Hayward and Daniel Smith of Roffey while Philip Caudle’s 5-30 for Reman Services came in a losing cause.
However, a couple of batsmen did prosper in round three.
Ex-Gloucestershire and Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman Steve Snell struck 109 as Bristol saw off South Wales Premier League side Panteg by 43 runs and Oliver Roland-Jones, brother of Middlesex’s Toby, hit 103 and took 2-4 to lift Sunbury to a crushing 109-run win over Oxford.
With round four to be played on Sunday 22 June, why not visit ecb.play-cricket.com for more information.