Bridgnorth fell agonisingly short in a nail-biting run-chase on Saturday, and whilst left rueing a missed opportunity for back-to-back wins early in the season, will take confidence away from key players finding form.

The Cricket Meadow men started in fine style at Priorslee Road after skipper Mark MacPherson-Lees won the toss and elected to field first. An excellent opening spell from Ian Gregory (2-22), well supported by Jack Riley-Craig (1-54) at the other end, saw Shifnal stutter to 44-3 early on as both seamers found movement in helpful conditions. Overseas legspinner Jed Schwarzbach then struck in his first over, before a brief counter-attack from Shifnal’s middle-order was thwarted by a further breakthrough from Matt Martin.

When Schwarzbach (3-29) struck again with the first ball after the drinks break, the hosts had slumped to 90-7, seemingly putting Bridgnorth firmly in control of the contest. But from this point conditions appeared to ease as the lower order dug in and the Cricket Meadow men struggled to finish off the innings. Despite Marcus Thompson picking up his maiden first team wicket with the score on 154, home captain Matt Denver’s unbeaten 72, alongside Jack Shields’ 47 not out, saw their side finish their 50 overs on 261-8.

Needing a strong start in the chase, opener Adam Binfield was then given lbw to the fourth ball of the reply, before Gregory and Chris Green (26) set about constructing a platform, combining for a 73-run second wicket stand. Cameos from the middle order kept the runs ticking along, before Gregory was dismissed for an excellent 79, leaving Bridgnorth on 187-5 in the 38th over.

Martin and Thompson then looked to take on the chase in the latter overs, aided at times by a wayward bowling effort that both teams had at times struggled with. Needing 21 to win off the last 12 deliveries, Thompson (28) was run out attempting to steal a further run, but five wides off the first ball of the final over left the Cricket Meadow men needing 11 for an unlikely victory.

Despite a determined effort from Martin (40 not out), captain MacPherson-Lees was also run-out off the penultimate delivery of the match, and with six needed off the last ball, a single was all that could be managed.

“It was a great effort from the lads today to claw it back after where we found ourselves at the halfway point”, said skipper MacPherson-Lees after the match.

“We bowled so well in the first 25 overs but then were probably guilty of letting them off the hook. A great knock from Ian then set us up in the chase, and Matt and Marcus did so well to get us that close. A few moments going differently for us over the last few weeks and we could’ve been three wins from three, so we will learn from those lessons and come back stronger.”

Bridgnorth II (139-9) lost to Allscott Heath (233-6) by 94 runs

Despite a spirited effort from the home side, Bridgnorth were well beaten by a stronger visiting team on Saturday, as Allscott took out a convincing win.

With former Bridgnorth regulars Simon Pitt and Neil Johnson (1-25) returning to the fold with the ball, both started well before Allscott captain Richard Benting took advantage of missed chances in the field to top-score with 88. Guy Black (2-34) and Alfie Proctor (1-58) both bowled tight spells in the middle overs as they fought hard to get back in the contest, but a late flurry of runs saw the visitors finish their 40 overs on 233-6.

Bridgnorth’s top order then struggled to get going in response as Allscott’s bowlers chipped away. Rich Ealey stood firm before being bowled for 33, before counter-attacking efforts from Lez Evans (37) and Johnson (25) saw some late boundaries added to the total as a delighted crowd looked on.

But with both dismissed late in the piece, Proctor and Pitt saw out the final overs, finishing on 139-9.

Bridgnorth III (99-2) beat Allscott Heath (98) by eight wickets

The third team produced a strong all-round display to claim their first win of the season, as Marcus Thompson scored his maiden senior half century.

Alongside fellow youngster Isaac Lunn, the two fourteen-year-olds batted with admirable maturity and skill, putting together a matchwinning 96-run partnership that never looked like being broken. Starting steadily on a wicket that made fluent strokeplay difficult, Thompson went through the gears once the total had passed fifty, ultimately falling for an excellent 62 off 75 balls.

Earlier, after skipper Alex Thomas had won the toss and chosen to bowl first, the seamer’s decision paid off as his 3-25 and Ethan Osborne-Welch’s 1-24 saw the hosts top order reduced to 40-4, before Alfie Proctor struck with his first ball, going on to claim 3-19.

Thompson and debutant Ollie Shinebaum also picked up a wicket apiece as Bridgnorth took firm grasp of the game in the field, before Lunn finished the job in the 28th over, with Allscott dismissed for just 98. Even though a wicket was then lost in the first over, any hint of a comeback from the home side was then thwarted by the following efforts of Lunn and Thompson.