Published: 14/08/2009 00:00 - Updated: 17/08/2009 08:33

Nuns in back to back push

By IAIN GREEN

FOLLOWING their nine wicket demolition of basement boys Pickwick last weekend, Nuneaton CC face Handsworth seeking to string together successive wins for the first time since the bank holiday weekend in May.

Nuneaton make the journey to Hinstock Road 28 points off the pace at the summit of the Warwickshire Cricket League by neighbours Atherstone Town, but will be buoyed by their own record against Handsworth, as they have collected three positive results against Renrick Hooper’s team since they were promoted to Division One for last season.

In a roller-coaster 2009 campaign, Nuneaton have lurched from being miles clear at the pinnacle of the Premier Division to, at their worst, 33 points behind and peering nervously over their shoulders at what was going on below them.

But despite their inconsistency, a solid run of wins and performances could see the Weddington Roaders in with a sniff of success come mid-September.

Like Nuns, Handsworth have also been labelled as an unpredictable unit, with their encounters often swinging from the sublime to the ridiculous quicker than it takes Hooper to fire a trademark boundary.

Never has this been more apparent than in the reverse tie in June, when chasing 217 for glory, Errol Peck, Hooper and Clement Smith all chipped in with priceless runs to give Handsworth a fantastic chance of snatching the spoils, but a middle-order collapse prompted by Dean Hopkins 4-62 eventually led to the remaining pair of Orein Bonner and Mohammed Ibrar desperately clinging on to salvage the losing-draw.

Nuneaton will need to keep Hooper quiet if they are to have any chance of walking away with maximum points, with the West Indian sure to swing a game in the favour of his side should he occupy the crease for a long period of time. He looked all set to go on to make a big score at Weddington Road, before he was eventually undone by Lee McNeill’s swing whilst looking to hit the solitary boundary he required for his half-century.

Ominously, Hooper is in a solid spell of form at present, with the nephew of ex-West Indian all-rounder Carl Hooper, plundering 78 against the Adders a couple of weeks ago, to add to his scores of 90 against Scott Friswell’s Bedworth, and 67 against Jason Pyott’s Bablake Old Boys earlier in the year.

However, if Hooper is in solid form, then S Ahmed is enjoying a red-hot campaign, with two massive hundreds to his name, as well as another three half-centuries. His scores of 86, 67 and 63 against Southam, Kenilworth and Kings Heath respectively are all fine enough, but add in 125 not out at Solihull Blossomfield and 145 not out versus Fillongley, then it becomes evident what a threat both Handsworth, and Ahmed in particular, pose.

Nuneaton have been struck by unavailability this weekend, with captain Jason Dean, opener Dave Blower, wicket-keeper Lee Burridge, seamer Vish Patel and finisher Tom Burdett all unavailable for differing reasons, meaning Tony Ingram, Paul Lovick, Dave Colkin and Lyndon Topp all return to the first team picture after spells away. Ruban Field will deputise as skipper for the tie.

According to Field, Nuns’ performers refuse to get too far ahead of themselves, and fully respect Handsworth’s abilities.

“Handsworth have established themselves as a strong unit, and we’ll need to be at the top of our game to get a positive result,” said Field.

“I know it sounds clich d, but our dressing room is taking it one game at a time, and simply trying to accrue as many points as possible, and we’ll see where that takes us.”

NUNEATON: Field (c), Allen (wk), Caratella, Colkin, Hopkins, Ingram, Lovick, McNeill, Neale, Topp, Walters