Welcome

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

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

The Clifton field surrounded young Fred (aged 12) tocongratulate him on his first victim in senior cricket.

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

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

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

Royton eventually finished on 83, which had to be applaudedwhen it looked for all the world that they could be rolled for less than 40 forthe 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* fromOscar Thorpe, who punished every short ball with his long levers to send theball racing to the boundary.

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

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

The reason for the lack of comfort in this victory was thatDan Jones with 16 was the highest score anyone could muster with the bat, andit’s never going to be a great day when “extras” wins the top bat prize with21.

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

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

Liam Dorsey’s return as captain saw him pick up a fantastic5-fer from his spell, ending with superb figures of 11-5-18-5. At the otherend, Sas finished with 3-20 off his 12.5 overs to bowl the home side out for87; an outcome that looked almost impossible when they were almost halfway tothe total required with 9 wickets still in the shed.

I don’t think you’ll find a pair of first change bowlersthat 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.