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2011 Season
Week 19 - Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st August
1st XI v Whitchurch (Away) - Losing Draw
Bridgnorth travelled to Heath Road for Saturday’s clash with county rivals Whitchurch buoyed by their Salop Caravans T20 success over their north Shropshire rivals but fell short in a high scoring game.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first on another excellent surface and got off to a flier as the in-form Richard Oliver (95) and former Cricket Meadow player Simon Gregory (131) piled on the runs in a 193 opening partnership before being separated by skipper Mark Macpherson-Lees (1-55). The home captain Maz Hasnain (48) then continued the momentum with Gregory who played a chanceless knock as the ball travelled around the ground.
Jono and Sam Whitney did get reward for their efforts claiming 2-53 and 2-86 respectively as the innings closed on 323-5. Bridgnorth suffered the loss of the talented Jack Edwards who damaged his shoulder in trying to take a catch and will be out of action for a fortnight.
Bridgnorth’s Minor Counties trio at the top of the order then set about the daunting total. Dave Exall (93) looked to add to his recent century for Herefordshire at club level before chipping tamely when the mark was in sight but added 103 for the first wicket with Ryan Lockley (33) and helped Jono Whitney to take their side passed 150.
Whitney then took up the challenge and made 82 before falling to a catch in the deep looking to accelerate. The visitors then settled for the draw points achieved on 268-4 with Tom Weston unbeaten on a well crafted 41.
Manager Ray Perry was left with mixed emotions after the game “We gave them too many runs in the field though they did bat well” he said after the game “We looked in with a chance of chasing them down but lost Dave at the wrong time but after recent games its good not to have lost” he added.
With a handful of games left the Cricket Meadow men face the perennial prospect of needing results to stay above the drop zone but with little chance of reaching the leaders in a league that they looked well set at the halfway stage to climb out of.
2nd XI v Wellington (Home) - Won by 6 wickets
Bridgnorth’s second team kept the pressure on leaders Dorridge with a comfortable six wicket victory over Wellington, whose own promotion aspirations seem to be fading following this reverse.
The hosts inserted the visitors and were made to work hard for inroads into the batting but the seamers stuck to their guns to restrict the early runs. Liam Brown (3-50) and Andrew Leather (3-45) did the lions share before Nick Gray profited from bowling straight to take 4-27 as Wellington closed on 169 all out.
Gray (12) was then an early victim in the Bridgnorth reply but Glenn Edwards (36), now recovered from his lengthy knee injury, kept alarms to a minimum before a classy unbeaten 73 from Alex Whitby guided his side home with overs to spare.
With the season drawing to a close Bridgnorth sit second only 8 points adrift of leaders Dorridge who they entertain on Bank Holiday Monday.
3rd XI v Welshpool (Home) - Lost by 10 wickets
Bridgnorth’s young guns in the third team found their powder dampened by a more experienced Welshpool outfit in Saturdays clash at Chelmarsh as the visitors dished out a ten wicket mauling and dragged themselves into the promotion picture having dealt leaders Newport a similar blow the previous week.
The visitors won the toss and chose to bowl first and seemed to have made the wrong choice as runs flowed quickly from James Shaw (18) and Ollie Gill (14) but once the duo had played one positive stroke too many a collapse ensued. Cam Wallis (18) then added 30 for the last wicket with Alex Thomas (2 not out) as they were hustled out for 92 with all the visiting seamers claiming scalps.
In the period before tea Bridgnorth’s bowlers tried to a man to wreak some revenge on the reply but both openers’ survived close calls before a more positive post-tea approach saw them cruise to their ten wicket victory.
The Welshmen have now moved on to the tails of Bridgnorth and Newport and look hungry to pounce should either slip up in the run in to the season.
