South Yorkshire League: Doncaster Town suffer first Championship defeat against Rotherham Town

Doncaster Town suffered their first league defeat of the season at home to neighbours Rotherham Town.
Luke TownsendLuke Townsend
Luke Townsend

Skipper Luke Townsend, who made 53 not out, launched an excellent rearguard action for Doncaster but it proved to be in vain as Rotherham ran out winners by four wickets.

Doncaster batted first in the battle of last season’s two relegated sides and Duncan Heath opened with 31.

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The innings struggled afterwards against Rotherham’s varied bowling attack and the innings was in disarray at 96-9.

Townsend, though, dug in with number 11 George Cowan (six not out) and they built an unbroken stand of 64 runs for a final total of 160-9.

Rotherham best bowlers were Muhammed Ilyas with 3-19 and skipper Irfan Mirza who collected 4-35.

In reply the visitors lost both openers with only a single run between them.

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This made way for an excellent 98 run partnership between Suleman Saleem and Mirza. The latter batted with extreme determination to secure 36 runs in 103 balls.

Saleem took control when Mirza left and, despite a further three wickets falling, was still there at the close with 93 not out as Rotherham won with 11 balls to spare.

Samuel Rowley took 3-42 for Doncaster.

Conisbrough were well beaten at Collegiate B.

The Doncaster club invited the hosts to defend first and Chris Stewart and skipper Andy Simpson both scored 34, Robert Shaw added 38 and Matthew Tyas made 48 not out to help Collegiate reach 243-8.

Imran Zafar proved to be Conisbrough’s best bowler with an analysis of 3-46.

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In reply Conisbrough struggled despite 69 from Sri Lankan Nisala Gamage and were eventually all out for 166.

Robert Shaw took 3-39 and Tom Eldridge was the destroyer in chief with 5-38.

Wath lost by just three runs at Whiston Parish Church in an exciting and dramatic conclusion.

Damien De Vos bowled well to take 6-59 for Wath but the hosts still managed to post 253-9.

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Skipper Rob Barlow (50), Jonathan Plater (58) and Jory Bannister (62) got the visitors to within touching distance of their target but the latter became the final wicket to fall.

Ahmad Abdullah took 4-62 and Richard Spurr 3-54.

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