Written by Nick Archer at the Birmingham League, whose original article you can find here.
Halesowen resisted a challenge from in-form Barnards Green as they maintained their lead at the top of Premier Division Two. The situation looked bleak for the leaders as they crumbled to 77 for six but an astonishing 106 from 71 balls from Peter Scott changed the course of the game. The former Staffordshire all-rounder hit 4 fours and 11 sixes as he and Edward Bragg (66 not out) took the score to 233 before Scott was dismissed by the last ball of the innings. Bragg played the perfect support role, facing 95 balls, as Scott hit the ball to all parts at the other end. Zain ul-Hassan took 3 for 31 for Barnards Green and the Herefordshire all-rounder, also, top scored for his side with an unbeaten 77 as Barnards Green held out on 188 for nine. Ryan Tongue hit 47, while Eddie Rhodes was the stand-out bowler for Halesowen with 4 for 49.
In a low-scoring game at Stourbridge Road, Kenilworth Wardens eked out an 11 run victory over Himley after they were dismissed for 128. Wardens opener Keith Bell (51) was seventh out at 95 as Saul Anstey starred for the home side with 6 for 46. Tommy Rex hit an unbeaten 22, late on, for Wardens but he, also, did some damage with the ball, taking 4 for 24, as Himley crashed to 117 all out. Ali Asif went one better with 5 for 30 as Wardens moved up to third in the table, three points behind Himley. Bromsgrove’s promising start to the season has disappeared completely in the last four weeks and they are, now, firmly rooted in the bottom half of the table after a seven wicket defeat at Wolverhampton. Their tactic of batting first, again, proved fallible as the home side cantered past Bromgrove’s 194 for eight. Connor Smith struck 61 as off-spinners Charlie Home (3 for 33) and Joe Stanley (3 for 60) kept a tight rein on the rest of the Bromsgrove batters. The home side were, largely untroubled as a second wicket stand of 143 between overseas player Ali Waqas (90) and James Hammond (73) took the score to 155 before they were parted.
As Bromsgrove have tumbled down the table, Harborne have travelled in the opposite direction and this week they crushed another of the early season pacesetters, Wem, by 147 runs. A second wicket stand of 131 between Swapnil Gugale (108) and Jasper Davidson (72) was a highlight as Harborne cruised to 317 for seven from 55 overs, after winning the toss. Tejas Wagle cashed in with 53 from 28 balls and Tom Payne clipped 33 from 19 balls as they took heavy toll of a tiring Wem attack. Dan Cohen took 5 for 68 for the Shropshire club but they were all out for 170, in reply, with more than 21 overs to spare as Harborne skipper Tom Arnold took 5 for 39.
Oswestry’s seven wicket defeat at Bridgnorth sees them fall back into the bottom two alongside Pelsall who went down to a four wicket loss at home to Dorridge. Oswestry won the toss and decided to bat first at Bridgnorth, but they may have regretted this decision as they crashed to 98 all out. Top scorer was Ryan Lockley with 32 but he was the only batter to score more than 10 runs as Matty Simmonds (4 for 22) and Adam Quiney (3 for 29) carved their way through Oswestry’s fragile line up. Ian Gregory, then, hit a brisk 39 as Bridgnorth cantered to an easy victory.
In a low scoring match at Pelsall, the home side crashed to 76 all out in 22.2 overs with Herefordshire’s David Ball taking 7 for 26. Sadrian Ward (3 for 27) bowled well for Pelsall as Dorridge made heavy weather of their reply, losing six wickets before they earned the win that lifts them out of the bottom two. Ashish Chakrapani led the way with an unbeaten 36 as Dorridge reached their target in the 20th over.