Century for Daud as Bagnall close in on promotion spot

KASHIF Daud-inspired Bagnall swept aside the challenge of mid-table Meir Heath/Fenton to keep pace with leaders Bignall End in Division Three A.

Daud was at his hard-hitting best in an unbeaten 119 which set the tone for last weekend's comprehensive victory.

The Pakistani all-rounder blasted seven sixes and 14 fours and formed an unbeaten 197-run third-wicket stand alongside Ed Bateman, who finished 69 all out.

Meir Heath/Fenton had no answer to Bagnall's batting power – and the away side also failed to withstand the Light Oaks side's bowling attack.

Opener Phil Hall stuck around without overly worrying the scorers, but Damien Taylor (4) was an early casualty, caught by Martin Mason off Daud.

Paul Farmer (2) followed soon after to leave the visitors struggling on 10-2.

Chris Mellow and Hall attempted to stem the flow of wickets and took Meir Heath up to 40.

Mellor (19) became skipper Alex Ravenscroft's second victim, but it was the wicket of Hall that marked the beginning of the end.

The opener had put 39 runs on the board in a fourth-wicket stand alongside Steve Bishop until Andy Rowson broke up the partnership with Anthony Griffiths taking the catch.

That left Meir Heath on 79-4, and the visitors soon crashed to 105-9.

Rowson dispatched four of the next five batsmen to fall to claim outstanding figures of 5-9.

Ravenscroft bowled Chris Jenkins (19) to claim the other wicket.

And the skipper ended Meir Heath's tame challenge when Ben Holloway was caught and bowled to leave the visitors 120 runs short of Bagnall's total.

Saturday's win ensured Ravenscroft's side achieved the first of their captain's three-pronged target. Bagnall's skipper had targeted successive wins against Meir Heath, Hanford and Porthill Park to all but clinch promotion.

The Light Oaks side are now 56 points clear of third-placed Woore ahead of away games against the division's bottom two.

Bignall End remain four points clear after easing to victory over Stone SP.

Three wickets apiece from Matthew Saive (3-42) and Kieran Peake (3-12) helped dismiss Stone for 110 – 78 runs shy of the target set by the league leaders.

Earlier in the day, the prolific Kim Barnett hit 63, while Andrew Howle posted an unbeaten 48 in Bignall End's 188-8.