DAVID RISHTON produced career-best figures to lead Thurstonland to victory over Denby in their opening arrowselfdrive Central League Premier game of the season.
And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the stalwart seamer after his side had been knocked over for just 95 at Marsh Hall Lane.
Chris Flanagan (20) and Nathan Appleyard (32) had given Thurstonland a solid-enough start, but there then followed an absolute shutter of wickets, as Craig Sanders (four for 15) and Andrew Pickford (three for 4) quickly reduced the home side to 85 all out with Joe Law the only other home batsman in double figures with 12.
But if Denby thought they might be in for an easy ride, they were soon shown otherwise as Rishton struck in devastating fashion, taking seven for 14 form 9.1 overs, and with support coming from the other end from Lee Booth (three for 7), Denby were left in tatters as all 11 batsmen were back in the tent with just 21 on the board, and 11 of those had come from Sanders, batting at No8 – the only one to make double figures.
Bowlers were also on top at Thornhill & Westborough, where Penistone found themselves shot out for just 41, thanks to five wickets each from Ashley Mackereth and Richard Smith for 20 and 21 respectively.
Conner Smythe made 21 of those, while Chris Hawley was the only other player in double figures with 12, as six of their teammates failed to trouble the scorer. Thornhill knocked them off for the loss of two wickets.
Nortonthorpe won another low-scoring affair at Holmbridge, where Andrew Haigh did his best to shore up the home innings with an unbeaten 32 as wickets fell around him.
