Written by Nick Archer at the Birmingham League, whose original article you can find here.
The situation in Premier Division Two is completely different to the one in the Division above with five teams registering two victories from two games and five more teams with two defeats. The exceptions are Oswestry and Bridgnorth, on one win apiece, and the two Shropshire clubs met at Stonehouse Oval, this week, with Bridgnorth claiming a narrow five run victory in a match that was dominated by two batsmen, Warrick Fynn for the home side and former Herefordshire skipper David Exall for Bridgnorth. After winning the toss and batting first, Bridgnorth rattled up 295 all out in 49 overs with Exall carrying his bat for a superb 158 from 146 balls, an innings that contained 19 fours and seven sixes. With wickets falling regularly, at the other end, mainly to Fynn (3 for 48) and Harry Darley (3 for 51), Oswestry hung on, bravely, only to fall five runs short of victory with one wicket standing from their 50 overs when it was their turn to bat. Again, it was a ”one man show” with Fynn cracking 173 from 146 balls including 25 fours and two sixes. Charlie Walker took the vital wicket of Fynn with the score on 274 and finished with 4 for 52 as Bridgnorth hung on for their first win of the season.
Bromsgrove’s Jayden Levitt, almost, matched Fynn and Exall with an unbeaten 152 from 148 balls against Wolverhampton. He and Ashley Newfield (63) took the score from 31 for one to 225 for two before Bromsgrove closed on 297 for four from 50 overs, a total that included 41 extras. Some stout middle-order resistance from Charlie Home (77) improved a poor Wolverhampton start with a little help from James Hammond (49) but Bromsgrove were the winners by 56 runs as the visitors were all out for 241 with Connor Smith taking 3 for 43.
Dorridge and Pelsall were involved in a nail-biting finish at the John Woolman Ground with Pelsall all out for 284 from the last ball of the match chasing a Dorridge total of 286. A fifth wicket stand of 165 between Ashish Chakrapani (83) and David Ball (76) underpinned the Dorridge total as Ben Nightingale proved the most successful bowler for Pelsall with 4 for 45. Todd Henderson chipped in with 3 for 44 before a century from debutant Jujhar Johal laid the foundations in Pelsall’s response. The former Stourbridge and Kidderminster opener hit a neat 114 from 144 balls and shared a fourth wicket stand of 127 with Jake Lee (68) to take Pelsall to the brink of victory before Perry Derrick (3 for 54) took the last wicket with three required from the final ball. Ball (3 for 59) and Roshan Venkataraman (3 for 61) also took three wickets each for Dorridge.
Wem continued their winning start to the season with a 45 run success against Harborne. After last season’s tough introduction to the League in the Williamson Trophy, the Shropshire club have begun this season in fine form and were helped to their total of 211 for nine in 50 overs by 64 from Matthew Cohen and 37 not out from skipper Danny Cohen. Jasper Davidson took 4 for 24 for Harborne who were dismissed for 166 in reply with Tejas Wagle unbeaten on 49. Tom Astley took 4 for 24 as Wem join Bromsgrove, Dorridge, Halesowen and Kenilworth Wardens at the top of the table.
Top bowling from Halesowen pair Ed Bragg (4 for 26) and Eddie Rhodes (3 for 24) skittled Barnards Green for 125 at Seth Somers Park before an undefeated 60 from Jamie Harrison secured a four wicket win for the home side.
66 from skipper Ollie Westbury and the help of 63 extras, including 54 wides, took Himley to 253 for nine against Kenilworth Wardens at Glasshouse Park with skipper Harry Johnson repeating his Williamson Trophy heroics with another four wickets for 33. The concession of all those extras did not hurt Wardens too much as Ali Asif (122 not out) and Keith Bell (67) added 129 for the second wicket. After Bell’s dismissal, Asif steered Wardens to a six wicket win with 10 balls remaining.
