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After rolling out A&T for 19 in the last round, the draw for Round 2 of the Sunday Premier Cup saw Clifton 3s host Royton 3s, who are also opposition from 4 divisions below Elliot's Sunday Prem table toppers.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Royton's young openers (both u13s still) made their way out to the middle. Only 3 deliveries later though, young Fawcett was heading back to the changing rooms after being shinned up by Oli Dunn. His replacement also only managed to survive two deliveries before being caught behind by 3s debutant, Fred Breidenbach, with the last ball of the first over.

The Clifton field surrounded young Fred (aged 12) to congratulate him on his first victim in senior cricket, and hopefully what is the first of many senior appearances for Clifton. 

Oli Dunn then took his figures to 3-1 after only 14 balls when cleaning up the number 4 to leave the visitors reeling at 3/3. That was very soon 16/4 as Oli took his 4th following a sharp catch from Dan Jones diving to his right.

Oscar then chipped in with 2 wickets in his next 2 overs with a caught and bowled and a catch from Elliot at mid on. At 19/6 it very much looked like Clifton would be bowling a side out cheaply once again, but they'd already reach double the A&T total by the time Elliot picked up a wicket and Dunny wrapped up his 5-fer with a superb catch from Dan Jones, chasing one back over his head towards the clubhouse.

Dunn loves the 3s Cup with 5-fers in both of his games so far in this competition, showing figures of 10-26 from 15 overs bowled. Pretty impressive.

Royton eventually finished on 83, which had to be applauded when it looked for all the world that they could be rolled for less than 40 for the majority of the innings.

Clifton were always going to chase down a score like that,and they did so with ease via a 26 from Luke Jones and an impressive 49* from Oscar Thorpe, who punished every short ball with his long levers to send the ball racing to the boundary.

Tougher opponents will await in the next round as Clifton look to defend their Sunday Premier Cup title.

The Clifton 2s backed up last week’s comfortable win against Stand with a victory at Worsley CC that was anything but comfortable, taking them into 2nd place in the table and one point behind leaders, Horwich.

The reason for the lack of comfort in this victory was that Dan Jones with 16 was the highest score anyone could muster with the bat, and it’s never going to be a great day when “extras” wins the top bat prize with 21.

Clifton managed to scramble 109 together to at least give them something to bowl at, and a couple of early wickets was essential to make this game competitive. Two boundaries in the first over then another in the next over to get the hosts off to a flyer wasn’t in the script, and at 48/1 it was looking like one of those days.

It was the introduction of the returning Liam Dorsey and Sas Pushparajah as first change bowlers that turned this game around, as 48/1 became 64/6 in the blink of an eye. A masterclass in hitting the spot from both ends suffocated the Worsley batsmen, with no “4 balls” to feast on to relieve any pressure. They were supported well with a strong performance from Chris Thorpe with the gloves, coming in to replace McManus following his call up to the 1s.

Liam Dorsey’s return as captain saw him pick up a fantastic 5-fer from his spell, ending with superb figures of 11-5-18-5. At the other end, Sas finished with 3-20 off his 12.5 overs to bowl the home side out for 87; an outcome that looked almost impossible when they were almost halfway to the total required with 9 wickets still in the shed.

I don’t think you’ll find a pair of first change bowlers that good until you look a fair few divisions higher.

Clifton 1^st XI produced one of their mostcomplete performances of the season as they brushed aside Monton CC by 133 runs atManchester Road.

Having won the toss, Clifton elected to bat first on a pitchthat looked every bit a batsman's paradise. While the surface promised runs,there was still work to be done and Clifton's top order laid the perfectfoundation for what was to follow.

Stephen McManus and Caleb Donaldson showed patience anddiscipline against some accurate opening bowling, taking the shine off the newball and ensuring Clifton had a platform from which to launch later in theinnings. McManus struck five boundaries in his 27, while Donaldson battled hardfor his 11 before both fell in quick succession with the score on 46.

Their contributions, however, proved far more valuable thanthe scorebook might suggest. With the groundwork done, Gareth Cross took centrestage.

Batting with the authority and elegance that Cliftonsupporters have come to expect, Cross was at his majestic best. Timing the ballbeautifully and punishing anything loose, he compiled a superb 74 from 96deliveries, including nine fours and a six. He controlled the middle oversexpertly and looked set for a deserved century before eventually falling withthe score on 171.

If Cross had dominated the middle part of the innings, SamDorsey then took over in spectacular fashion.

The Clifton professional produced an innings of the highestquality, combining power, placement and skill to dismantle the Monton attack.As wickets and overs became increasingly valuable, Dorsey simply acceleratedthrough the gears, striking six towering sixes and six fours on his way to ascintillating unbeaten century. His magnificent 102 not out from 103 deliveriesensured Clifton finished strongly, with Ben Hamilton adding a useful 9 and ZachFlaxman remaining unbeaten at the close as Clifton posted an imposing 247-4from their 50 overs.

Despite the sizeable target, Clifton knew the wicketremained good for batting and that early wickets would be crucial. They gotexactly that.

Oliver Sleight struck first to remove Jordan Stephens beforeGareth Cross produced a devastating spell that ripped the heart out of theMonton batting line-up. Having starred with the bat, Cross delivered anoutstanding all-round performance with the ball, claiming five wickets andrepeatedly breaking partnerships just as Monton looked to rebuild.

Monton's overseas professional Tharushan Iddamalgoda wasunable to make an impact, while Cross also removed key batters Joe Kershaw and TomWilloughby as the visitors slipped steadily behind the required rate. Sleightprovided excellent support, claiming three wickets and maintaining relentlesspressure throughout his 15-over spell. Ben Hamilton then wrapped up the inningswith two late wickets as Monton were dismissed for just 114 in 31 overs.

The margin of victory could have been even greater. Cliftonwere excellent in the field for long periods but will know they need to be moreclinical when opportunities arise, with four catches put down during theinnings. Against stronger opposition those missed chances could prove costly,although on this occasion they had little impact on the final result.

Ultimately this was a dominant display from Clifton. McManusand Donaldson provided the platform, Cross delivered a masterclass with bothbat and ball, and Dorsey's magnificent unbeaten century provided the headlineact in a comprehensive victory.

🔨 Rear Lounge Refurbishment COMPLETE !!

We are pleased to let members know that refurbishment of our rear lounge is complete, an exciting step forward in improving our club facilities for everyone.

The improvements include:
• A new feature wall
• A new trophy cabinet to properly showcase our history and achievements
• New seating to create a more comfortable, welcoming space

This is part of an ongoing project to continually enhance our club for members, players, families and visitors. As a volunteer-led club with strong community roots, every improvement is about creating a space we can all be proud of.

If you’re not yet part of our club, new members are always welcome. Please come and be part of something progressive, inclusive and growing.