A STRONG Ticknall side saw off the challenge of Rolleston to lift the Burton Breweries Cup for the second successive season.

The Derbyshire Premier League outfit were always in control against their County League Division One opponents after winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Ticknall’s start was a modest one, openers Ricky Kniveton (27) and Michael Jacques (19) taking few risks, and the first five overs yielded just 10 runs.

The first real excitement of the day came in the seventh over, Australian Zac Fried’s appeal for lbw quickly followed by a shout for a return catch as the ball ballooned back to the bowler. Umpire Roy Wakefield upheld neither.

The first signs of increased tempo came in the next over, Jacques on-driving and square cutting Niall Dawkins for two stylish boundaries.

The first bowling change of the day brought dividends, with Andrew Cooper (2-62) finding the edge of Jacques’ bat, with only his fourth ball to give young wicketkeeper Elliott Lawley, standing up to the stumps, the first of two catches.

Fried, whose eight over spell had yielded just 15 runs, was replaced at the pavilion end by spinner Luke Nelson but surviving opener Kniveton and new batsman Andy Butler consolidated for Ticknall and took the score comfortably along to 78-1 after 23 overs.

Rolleston at this stage were bowling too many wide balls but Butler (15) played across a straight one from Cooper and the underdogs had their second Ticknall scalp (82-2), umpire Eric Lummis confirming the confident appeal.

A couple of overs later Cooper found the edge of Kniveton’s bat but keeper Lawley unfortunately spilled it.

The miss proved not to be costly, however, as Nelson trapped him in front a couple of overs later to leave Ticknall on 92-3 after 27 overs.

All-rounder Shahid Khan announced his presence in the 29th over with a couple of boundaries and, together with youngster Devon Iliffe, negotiated the next four overs to reach lunch on 140-3 — 10 runs coming off the final over.

An over earlier, Rolleston skipper Alex Britton, fielding at short mid-wicket, had just failed to get his hands underneath a mistimed pull from Iliffe off the bowling of Anton Williams.

Williams’ first two deliveries after lunch were dispatched for four by Khan, one to square leg and the next through extra cover, and the all-rounder moved quickly onto a fine half-century.

An over later, however, he took a chance too many and was bowled by a straight one from the returning Dawkins.

His fourth wicket partnership with Iliffe had realised 102 runs in just 12 overs.

Paul Borrington came to the crease and was quickly into his stride and when drinks were taken at the end of the 50th over Ticknall had moved on to 238-4.

Fried (2-50) returned to the fray to bowl the 53rd over and was quickly rewarded with the wicket of Iliffe (41) who had struck a six and five fours during his excellent 24-over stay.

Borrington’s usual opening partner Luke Harvey was next in and played some fine strokes.

Borrington, though, was in superlative form, pulling Fried for six off the first ball of the Australian’s final over but Dawkins made amends for an earlier drop by pouching a similar chance again offered by Harvey (21).

The final over, bowled by Nelson, saw the end of Borrington’s superb innings, safely taken at long-off by Tom Yates.

The final damage was a daunting 318-7 which included no fewer than 50 extras.

Rolleston’s reply began with a loud lbw appeal from Khan, a request that was repeated on the final delivery, but Roy Wakefield was not interested in either and Gareth Marshall remained at the crease.

It was, however, a maiden over, one of three bowled by Khan in a spell that was rewarded with figures of 10-3-11-2.

With the Rolleston reply on 12, Khan trapped Mark James and was finally rewarded with the raised finger to dismiss Marshall in similar fashion in his ninth over, the 17th of the reply, which left Rolleston in trouble at 34-2.

Tom Yates and Tom Rutter then successfully, and with increasing confidence, took the score along to 63-2 and the safe haven of tea after 25 overs.

Left-arm spinner Nathan Harding was soon rewarded with the wicket of Rutter after the restart and Rolleston were in danger of rolling over.

Skipper Alex Britton joined Yates, who was batting with ever-increasing confidence, but Britton’s stay was relatively short and the 34th over saw his demise, caught by Jacques at short mid-wicket off the bowling of Borrington.

Rolleston now faced the impossible task of scoring 220 runs in just 26 overs but they made steady progress over the next seven overs to reach 135-4 but the 41st over unfortunately saw the demise of Yates (51).

The incoming Dawkins was bowled by Jim Meakin (2-32) in the next over but Fried was progressing almost unnoticed and the scoreboard was ticking along nicely.

The order, though, was still a very tall one and when Luke Nelson offered an easy return catch to Devon Iliffe (2-28), Rolleston had reached 203-7 in the 52nd.

In the meantime Fried had moved serenely to an excellent half-century and was continuing in similar fashion.

Anton Williams arrived on the scene and dispatched his first ball for six over longon and in just eight balls had 16 to his name.

He fell to an excellent catch by Zain Abbas at long-off with Fried (86) succumbing to Andy Butler shortly after with the scoreboard showing 233-9.

The Australian’s fine innings spanned just 75 deliveries and featured a six and 13 fours. Last pair Lawley and Cooper fought on and were unbeaten at the close with Rolleston some 62 runs short.