Collingham Cricket Club Firsts skittle Clipstone for 65 to go top of Nottinghamshire Premier League Division Two

Collingham skipper Burhan Alam led from the front to help his side extend their winning start to the season.

Alam top-scored with 31, from 57 balls, in difficult batting conditions as the hosts were bowled out for just 116, and then took three wickets as Clipstone were skittled for just 65 to make it three wins from three.

The 51-run win took promotion-seeking Collingham top of the early-season Division B table.

Ben Jones chipped in with 17 useful runs in a low-scoring match. Image: Rob Currell.

After losing the toss, the hosts were predictably given first bat after heavy rain on Friday had made for a slow wet outfield and a sticky wicket, with runs likely to be at a premium.

Collingham quickly found themselves reduced to 21-3 before Alam (31) and Ben Jones (18) added a hard-earned, but invaluable 44 runs for the fourth wicket.

It proved the highest stand of the match, and comfortably so.

Alam eked out a few more with Liam Tew (17) before succumbing, and Adam Mendham added 13 down the order before the home side were bowled out for 116 in the 44th over.

Collingham needed to strike early and Tew (2-6) did just that, removing Adam Dutton and then Yash Ramesh, while leg spinner John Miller and Mendham (3-9) also struck as the visitors tottered on 15-4.

When Clipstone lost three wickets without adding a run on 29, the game was effectively up.

Lee Wilson produced some defiance with an unbeaten 14 - Clipstone’s only double-figure score off the bat - but Alam (3-6) quickly mopped up the tail to seal an emphatic victory.

On Saturday, Collingham hit the road to take on Cavaliers and Carrington Seconds.

Collingham: J. Copley 10, D. Pipes 0, U. Waheed 2, B. Alam 31, B. Jones 18, L. Tew 17, C. Dixon 9, M. Shenton 1, A. Mendham 13, H. Sheppard 0*, J. Miller 0, Extras 15. Total: 116.

Clipstone: 65.

Bowling: J. Miller 8-3-11-1; L. Tew 5-3-6-2; A. Mendham 7-3-9-3; U. Waheed 5-1-8-1; M. Shenton 3-0-13-0; B. Alam 5-1-6-3; H. Sheppard 2-0-7-0.