The Cricket Meadow men started their summer in SCCL Division One with a highly competitive match at neighbours Quatt, but were ultimately undone by a 132-run winning partnership for the sixth wicket, as home skipper Craig Jones led the way with an unbeaten 66.

Earlier, Bridgnorth had been asked to bat first after the hosts won the toss, and despite the early loss of Ian Gregory, made a solid start. Following his fifty in last week’s warm-up, Adam Binfield once again got stuck in at the top of the order, firstly supported by Chris Green (24) before combining with Australian overseas Jed Schwarzbach for a 77-run stand.

After Binfield was dismissed for a patiently compiled 58, Ross Hurdley (57) looked to up the ante alongside Schwarzbach (51), as the pair took their side past the 200-mark in search of a challenging total. However, with both dismissed in quick succession following a 70-run effort together, Bridgnorth struggled to add further impetus in the latter overs, finishing on 233-6 off their 50 overs.

In response, Quatt flew out of the blocks to start with, before a double-strike with the ball and in the field from Ian Gregory pegged them back to 55-2. The spinners then strived to take control of the game, with Schwarzbach (1-34) and Matt Martin (1-35) bowling tidily, and when the fifth wicket fell with the total on 102 the game was firmly in the balance.

However, the experience of the hosts middle-order ultimately proved the crucial differential, but the well-contested game was a strong plus-point to take away for skipper Mark MacPherson-Lees.

“I was really happy with the efforts from the lads with the bat today, that was a decent total against an experienced bowling attack. We were well in the contest with the ball, and halfway through the game really was in the balance, but Craig played excellently to take the game away from us at the end.

“With a couple of faces to come back into the side, I remain very positive that we can get some results on the board early this season, so we go again at home next week.”

Bridgnorth II (68) lost to Priorslee (257) by 189 runs

Despite a spirited effort from a side missing a number of familiar faces, the second string were undone by a strong Priorslee outfit at Cricket Meadow in the first game of their Division Four campaign.

After being asked to field first, the returning Simon Pitt made an excellent start with the new ball by taking a wicket in his first over, but after this the visitors took control as they capitalised on some loose bowling and mistakes in the field.

But despite the runs passing the hundred mark in the sixteenth over, Bridgnorth showed commendable tenacity with the ball to pull it back. Will Buxton finished as the pick of the bowlers with 4-58, alongside two apiece for Alfie Proctor and Pradeep Pandurangan, as Priorslee were eventually dismissed in the 38th over for 257.

Unfortunately, the hosts were unable to respond with the bat as the visiting bowlers picked up wickets at regular intervals. Buxton being the only man to pass double figures, Bridgnorth were dismissed for 68 to lose by 187 runs.