Langley Mill’s second team kept their unbeaten league record intact with a workmanlike victory at Breadsall on Saturday. A six wicket success keeps the Millers in joint top spot with Sandiacre Town, 68 points ahead of third placed Eckington.
Breadsall skipper Bradley Garner won the toss and elected to bat first on a dry track. Openers Adrian Kirkham and Jack Smith were kept in check by the economical bowling of Luke Rowley and Steve Walker who kept the hosts down to just 45 runs from the first 20 overs, Smith being the only batsman to depart, caught by Ryan Cox off Walker for 24.
On 66, Neil Toohill went, caught by Dan Lacey off Rich Davey for 14, followed on 74 by Kirkham who was caught by Davey for 34 to give Cox an eighteenth birthday present.
Breadsall then stepped on the gas as Will Oates and Tim Moseley took the hosts through three figures. The pair put on 72 for the fourth wicket before Moseley was caught by Cox off Davey for 34.
The only other wicket to fall was that of Oates who was bowled by Davey for 44 giving the Langley Mill skipper his 50th County League wicket of the season, the first player to achieve this feat in 2011.
Halley Porkess (14 not out) and Garner (11 not out) took Breadsall to 183 for 5 at the close, Davey returning figures of 3 for 56. Cox’s wicket cost him 35 and Walker’s cost 59.
Langley Mill’s reply started badly when Nick Wright was out first ball, spectacularly caught one handed in the gully by Oates, the fielder diving full length to his right. This left Neil Wing and Aaron Tullett to re-build the innings which they did in some style.
As usual, Wing raced away reaching fifty from 43 balls as the pair took the Millers to 74 before Tullett was caught by Toothill, off Alex Hodgkinson, for 15.
Dan Lacey joined Wing and the two almost put the game to bed when they took the score on to 129 at the half way stage. At this point, Wing lobbed a ball from Garner straight into the hands of Will Braisby to depart for 80 to give the home supporters some hope.
Lacey soon dismissed any chance of a home victory hitting 51 before he was caught by Porkess, off Jack Smith, with the score on 167. It was then a simple task for Walker (28 not out) and Ryan Brunelleschi (5 not out) to steer the Millers to a 22 point success with eight overs to spare.
With Sandiacre also picking up 22 points at Shipley Hall, the pair remain locked together at the top on 302 points but the Millers still have a crucial game in hand.
Scores: Breadsall (6pts) 183-5 [46 overs] (W Oates 44, A Kirkham 34, T Moseley 34, R Davey 3-56) lost to Langley Mill Utd (22pts) 184-4 [38.1 overs] (N Wing 80, D Lacey 51) by 6 wickets
