In-form Rotherham Town are at Bawtry Road on Sunday making victory tomorrow at Appleby Frodingham vital as a defeat would see them leapfrog United.

United's inabilty to build a big score has cost them dear and captain Neil Longhurst is anxious to see a change.

He said: "I am getting frustrated. In every game we seem to switch off 10 per cent of the time and batsmen get out. We make starts and get to 20, but no-one goes on to make the matchwinning scores."

This was certainly the case against Clethorpes last Saturday, when a last- wicket stand of 40 avoided complete disaster but couldn't prevent the visitors winning.

United were put in on a pitch ravaged by recent heavy downpours and runs were at a premium as the surface was slow with a low bounce. Matt Milburn scored 31 and Devan Dipenaar 27, but wickets fell rapidly, mostly to the gentle medium pace of James Osmond. Normally a wicketkeeper the gentle giant was pressed into service as an occasional bowler when veteran paceman Andy Ellis had to withdraw with an injury. He returned 5 for 40 and United slumped to 120 for 9 before Tom Fletcher (23no) and Nazakat (14no) put on their unbeaten partnership to take United to 160 for 9.

Bill Kirby (20) and the prolific Mutaliph (30) quickly made inroads into the target and with Alex Osmond adding 38 victory looked a formality, but a flurry of wickets had the Cleetorpes batsmen rushing to get padded up.

James Osmond kept his cool and his 33 no guided the visitors home with two wickets to spare to make it a good day for the Osmond family.

Collegiate's match with the YCA became a time game after three delays and it finished in dramatic fashion when the Academy's James Lee hit the only ball he received for six to win the game off the penultimate ball.

Earlier, Jason Pitcher, now establishing himself as an opener, after trying for many years to convince various club captains he should be given the chance, hit a fine 45 as he and Billy Root put on 80 for the first wicket, but the middle order failed to cash in and Collegiate could only reach 148 for 9. Richard Wilkinson took 3 for 17 and Matt Chadwick 3 for 19.

Highly-rated Gary Balance led the Academy response with 64 and Jamie Bairstow added 34 to set up the thrilling finish. Captain Matt Dixon felt Collegiate were short of a winning score.

He said: "It's disappointing, we got a good start, but we threw away some wickets with bad shot selection, we were 30 or so short. Balance batted well for them. He hit the bad balls and took no chances."

Collegiate entertain Rotherham tomorrow and then visit Cleethorpes on Sunday, leading runmaker Nick Gaywood misses both games.



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