Bridgnorth CC 1st XI v Fordhouses (Away)
Bridgnorth 1st XI (122) beat Fordhouses (113) by 9 runs
Batting: M. Martin 67, A. Carson 18, M. MacPherson-Lees 14.
Bowling: M. MacPherson-Lees 3-24, S. Whitney 3-32, E. Lewis 2-30.
Bridgnorth stayed in touch with leaders Whitchurch at the top of BDPCL Division Three after a hard-earned victory at Fordhouses.
The home side won the toss and put the visitors in on a typically seamer-friendly wicket that again tested the batsman's technique and courage. An opening stand of 40 between Andrew Carson (18) and Matt Martin, who both survived chances and bruises, proved vital as skipper Mark MacPherson-Lees (14) was the only other man to reach double figures.
HQ Sports Bar Man of the Match Martin was eventually ninth man out after a battling innings of 67, including just three boundaries. Fordhouses quartet of seamers shared the wickets as Bridgnorth limped to 122 all out in the penultimate over.
In reply, the home batsmen found the drying wicket a little easier to play on, and looked well set at 69 for 2, before MacPherson-Lees and Sam Whitney worked their way through the middle order. Ed Lewis then claimed his second scalp before the returning Tom Weaver mopped up the tail with the home side succumbing to 113 all out with ten balls of the match remaining.
Bridgnorth's victorious skipper praised his bowlers, and Martin for his vital runs, but was keen to stress again how it was a team effort that had got maximum points.
"Matt's innings gave us a total to bowl at and on a wicket like that who knows what is a good score. It's up to us to keep getting results now we are opening a bit of a gap at the top end. Promotion was a stated aim for the club and its very much in our own hands."
Bridgnorth CC 2nd XI v Smethwick (Home)
Bridgnorth 2nd XI (192) lost to Smethwick (200-5) by 8 runs
Batting: C. Goodwin-Tindall 45, H. Davies 36, G. Lewis 21, N. Boxall 19, G. Edwards 15.
Bowling: A. Leather 3-40.
Bridgnorth 2nd XI just missed out in their run chase in their game against fellow strugglers Smethwick, and remain a distance from safety in Division One.
Smethwick batted first and reached 200-5 from their allotted overs, with stalwart Andy Leather (3-40) the pick of the home attack.
In reply, openers Greg Lewis and Conor Goodwin-Tindall gave their side the start they required, and the middle order of Neil Boxall, Henry Davies and Glenn Edwards kept them in the hunt. However, one of them needed to steer the side home and as the tail fell away, Bridgnorth ended up agonisingly short on 192 all out, having been well placed at 159-5.
Bridgnorth CC 3rd XI v Quayside (Away)
Bridgnorth 3rd XI (103) lost to Quayside (105-0) by 10 wickets
Batting: D. Taylor 25, T. Weston 17.
Bowling:
Bridgnorth 3rd XI had a day to forget by the River Severn, being on the receiving end of a ten wicket drubbing against a far more experienced Quayside team.
Bowled out for 103, with Tom Weston and Dan Taylor providing the bright spots, they saw the home side cruise to victory without losing a wicket in the 23rd over of their reply.
