Written by Nick Archer at the Birmingham League, whose original article you can find here.
Wem’s inability to fulfil their fixture at Premier Division Two leaders Halesowen, due to COVID issues, means that the positions in the table for the rest of the season in this division will be decided by average points per match instead of total points earned. The BDPCL Covid strategy has been invoked so the Wem versus Halesowen match is declared void with the match deleted from the League tables. Himley were the only team to make inroads into Halesowen’s lead at the top, with a four wicket success at Bromsgrove, while other promotion hopefuls Barnards Green and Kenilworth Wardens went down to defeats to sides in the lower half of the table.
In the last two weeks, Barnards Green have rattled up scores of 360 plus, but it was a different story when they entertained Oswestry at North End Lane. Having dismissed the visitors for 93, Barnards Green collapsed to 79 all out and a 14 run defeat. Oswestry’s innings was held together by 46 from Josh Coleridge who was one of two batters to reach double figures. Jonathan Dovey cleaned up the tail with 4 for 6 and Zain ul-Hassan took 3 for 37 as Barnards Green set up what looked like an easy win. At 60 for three, there appeared to be little danger but the introduction of Warrick Fynn changed the game. The left-arm spinner took 5 for 3 in 5.2 overs as the home side collapsed, losing their last seven wickets for 19. Alex Selby bowled throughout the innings to finish with 5 for 43 as Oswestry pulled off an unlikely victory.
A Harborne win against Kenilworth Wardens, also, looked unlikely when the home side lost their ninth wicket at 143 in pursuit of Wardens all out total of 183 from 49.3 overs but an unbroken last wicket stand of 43 between Alex Kirkpatrick (28 not out) and Henry Arnold (11 not out) inched them to victory. Half-centuries from Ben Rex (61) and Ali Asif (59) made up the bulk of the Wardens total as Jasper Davidson claimed 5 for 54 for Harborne. Skipper Tom Arnold took 3 for 33 for Harborne but three wickets each for Wardens by Amun Bal (3 for 40), Tommy Rex (3 for 49) and Derbyshire’s George Scrimshaw (3 for 67) left the home side in trouble. Tejas Wagle top scored with 40 but when he was dismissed at 143, Wardens were red-hot favourites. However, Kirkpatrick and Henry Arnold had other ideas as they steered Harborne to a thrilling victory.
Opening bowlers Saul Anstey (4 for 26) and Jamie Turner (3 for 38) were Himley’s leading lights as they dismissed visiting Bromsgrove for 156. Ashley Newfield hit 63 for Bromsgrove but their final total proved too little as skipper Ollie Westbury hit an unbeaten 47 to lead his side to a four wicket victory. Opening bat Ollie Walker, who swapped places with Westbury in the order, began well with 42 to set Himley on their way with Herefordshire’s Connor Smith the pick of the Bromsgrove attack with 3 for 25.
Another side to come back from a perilous position was Wolverhampton who defeated fellow Staffordshire outfit Pelsall by four wickets. Pelsall’s total of 235 for seven looked far too stiff a target when Wolverhampton lost their sixth wicket at 142, but an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 94 between Charlie Home (108 not out) and Adam Lawley (46 not out) earned Wolverhampton the win. Jack Stanley (48), also, played his part and it was his younger brother Joe who impressed with the ball for the home side, finishing with 4 for 64. Alex Jones hit 54 and Todd Henderson scored 42 for Pelsall whose survival hopes dipped, again, after last week’s win over Himley.
Bridgnorth’s David Exall was the stand-out performer in his side’s winning draw against Dorridge. The former Herefordshire captain hit exactly 100 as he shared a second wicket partnership of 151 with Karl Quiney (57) then took 4 for 39 in Dorridge’s reply. After Exall’s dismissal, Simon Gregory added 61 to lead Bridgnorth to 249 for seven from 55 overs. Apart from Suffolk’s Ben Shepperson (80), none of Dorridge’s batsmen could come to terms with Exall and they finished a distant second on 163 for eight.
