The weekend did not start well for Division Two North Darley Dale firsts, who suffered a six-wicket defeat at home to South Wingfield, for whom Andrew Goodall scored 50.

Darley’s performance improved on Sunday against Ambergate, but the result was the same.

However, Heshan Tillakaratne’s 95 hopefully bodes well for the Station Road side, who prop up the division after four games.

For their part, Ambergate took a losing draw in their derby with Belper Meadows on Saturday, Andrew Layton top-scoring on 73.

On the same day, South Wingfield nearly hung for a draw, but their last wicket fell with two balls to spare against Duffield, who instead savoured a 36-run win.

Andy Bacon hit 60 for Wingfield.

In Division Three North, 47 from Kevin Godfrey propelled Ashover to 216-8 in pursuit of Heanor’s 247 on Sunday, while his 4-43 and Andrew Redfern’s 54 were the highlights of another losing draw with Clowne Town on Saturday.

In Division Four North, Adrian Kershaw (5-31) and Nick Wildgoose (3-28) reduced Belper Meadows seconds to 111 all out on Saturday, although Cromford Meadows lost five wickets before crossing the winning post, Martyn Buswell (29 not out) and Liam Martin (28 not out) guiding them home.

Twenty four hours later, Kershaw took 4-15 as Darley Abbey seconds were destroyed by ten wickets, Simon Bunting top-scoring with an unbeaten 43 for Cromford.

South Wingfield seconds’ Josh Drizen took 5-50 against Darley Abbey on Saturday, although Abbey were within five runs of their target at stumps.

Wingfield then got another winning draw against Shipley Hall seconds, Ben Goodall scoring 66 with the bat and taking 4-52 with the ball.

Ashover seconds’ Division Five North Sunday meeting with Stanton Elks resulted in a nine-wicket loss for the Milken Lane outfit, who could only muster 123.

A day earlier, Dayle White’s unbeaten 50 had been the stand-out contribution to Ashover’s 193-5 in a losing draw at the hands of Clowne Town seconds.

Matlock seconds gritted their teeth for a draw against Ambergate seconds on Saturday.

Jonathan Heath’s undefeated 142 had accounted for all but 99 of Ambergate’s runs.

Matt Haywood’s 23 was the largest individual proportion of Matlock’s 100-5.

However, Sunday was a different story for Matlock as they enjoyed a 101-run win over Staveley Welfare seconds.

Tim Jeffrey scored 68 not, Paul Chadbourne 48 and Jack Pressland 44 in a total of 235-4.

Ian Watson (6-25) and Andy Hawkmoon (4-32) then carved up Staveley for 134.

Ambergate had a two-wicket win over West Hallam White Rose, Rob Marshall bagging 63 of the 220 runs they needed.

In Division Six North, Sunday was definitely Richard Chadwick’s day.

The Darley Dale man scored 122 not out then collected 5-23 as he helped decimate Denby fourths by 164 runs.

In Division Seven North, Ambergate were hit with a 108-run spanking by Calow, while Cromford Meadows seconds lost by seven wickets to Pilsley on Sunday.