WHISTON Parish Church held their nerve to pull-off a six wicket victory over potential Premier Division relegation rivals Sprotbrough at Church Fields on Saturday.

The two teams were both promoted from the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League Championship last season with Sprotbrough going up as champions. And as the current campaign approaches its halfway point the pair – along with Hallam – look like they are in a three-way battle to survive the two relegations places.

However, Church had already won two games to Sprotbrough’s one before Saturday and this result sees them move 18 points clear of the 11th and the final relegation spot. And with Church now in ninth they have also moved ahead of Appleby Frodingham in tenth with Sprotbrough 11th and Hallam propping the table up.

The home team were thankful of an excellent sixth wicket partnership of 87 between Mark Cummins (46 not out) and Brady Saunders (47) which took Church from 108-5 to 195-6 in their chase of Sprotbrough’s 202.

Experienced: Mark Cummins, seen here batting for Wickersley in 2024, guided his current club Whiston Parish Church to victory. Wickersley also picked up an important win over Wakefield Thornes

placeholder image — Experienced: Mark Cummins, seen here batting for Wickersley in 2024, guided his current club Whiston Parish Church to victory. Wickersley also picked up an important win over Wakefield Thornes

Earlier Zaki Anjam’s 81 was the highlight of Sprotbrough’s innings. Whiston overseas Bhargav Merai took 4-29 and then made 64 in Whiston’s reply.

At the Beerpig Oval Wickersley Old Village made 215-8 against Wakefield Thornes. In reply, Jawad Akhtar hit 51 for the visitors, but Mayank Mishra took 5-26, and they were all out for 151.

The victory moved Wickersley above Thornes into seventh place in the table.

Leaders Sheffield Collegiate made quick work of third-placed Tickhill at Abbeydale. The visitors were bowled out for 49, and Collegiate knocked off the required runs for the loss of two wickets in the 16th over.

In the Championship leaders Ackworth came out on top in a high-scoring encounter at Green Lane. Nathan Ward (85) and Muhammad Khan (83) put on 143 for Aston Hall’s second wicket, and a brisk unbeaten 53 from Ollie Wainwright took the hosts to 252-3; then Sam Swindin (63) and Luke Townsend (52) gave Ackworth an opening stand of 98, and Shingi Masakadza (51 not out off 36 balls) then powered his side to a five-wicket win.

Upper Haugh lost a crucial battle with relegation rivals Oughtibridge War Memorial. A quick 107 off 85 balls from Vikas Dixit enabled the home team to post 221-5 as Upper Haugh were all out for 193 in reply, despite Renaldo Brathwaite’s unbeaten 105 off 102 balls.