Bridgnorth maintained the pressure on the top sides in Birmingham League Division Two with an outstanding all-round performance in a rain-affected win at Wolverhampton.

After waiting for some time whilst drizzle threatened to prevent any action, a 30-overs-a-side game was finally agreed between the captains. With captain Sam Whitney winning the toss and batting first, openers Ian Gregory and Dave Exall got their side off to a good early start to reach 42-0, but three quick wickets then changed the momentum back towards the home side.

Runs then proved harder to come by as the Cricket Meadow men strived to push on, before a game-changing partnership from Karl and Adam Quiney got the scoreboard ticking once again, whilst playing with little risk and showing admirable composure against their former club side. Both men finished unbeaten, Karl with 55 off 65 balls, and brother Adam supporting with a 37-ball 29.

In reply, Bridgnorth were excellent with the ball. Exall and Adam Quiney gave nothing away early on, as Exall removed opener Mackleworth in his first over. Tom Weston then stepped up to fill in the role of first-change bowler to dismiss the dangerous Charlie Home for just 13, before Charlie Walker made a welcome return to form with a crucial spell of his own.

The game was set-up with the hosts needing to attack in the last part of the game with wickets in hand, but skipper Whitney had other ideas. On a turning pitch with big boundaries, the legspinner ran through Wolverhampton’s lower-order as they collapsed from 102-4 to 128 all out, with the Shropshire captain returning career-best first team figures of 6-20.

“It’s a really proud moment to be able to do that today,” said a naturally delighted Whitney after the game.

“We’ve struggled with consistency this season. In previous years we’ve been able to put a run of wins together in a row. We haven’t been able to do that, yet we’re still in a very strong position, and with a two or three more really good weeks we are still well in the group to challenge for second place in the league. It’s an exciting place to be, we just need to keep believing in ourselves and keep delivering in the key moments.”
A big trip to fifth-placed Himley awaits this Saturday.

Bridgnorth II (206-6) beat Shifnal (181-8) by four wickets – DLS method

In a game that had just about everything at Cricket Meadow, the second team somehow managed to record a stunning last-ball victory on Saturday and throw the battle for promotion to the Shropshire Premier League wide open.

With rain also delaying the start, a 33-overs-a-side game began as skipper Matt Martin asked the visitors to bat first. Toby Hughes produced the perfect start to take a wicket in his first over, and was unlucky not to take a second. However, the experienced Shifnal pairing of Tom Collins and Mark Bissell then steadied the ship by posting a pair of half centuries, and made the hosts rue some costly missed chances in the field, which would become a theme of the day.

Bridgnorth then unfortunately lost Norman Roberts to injury, forcing them to field with only ten men, allowing the Shifnal pair to find gaps with ease, but a further rain delay worked in the Cricket Meadow men’s favour, allowing them the chance to regroup. Upon restarting, they came out firing by taking seven wickets, including three run-outs, as Shifnal finished their 33 overs on 181-8. Wickets were shared around the hard-working bowling attack, with Cam Wallis picking up two, and one apiece for Hughes, Lewis Hurdley and Sam Baugh.

Due to the rain delays, the winning total was then recalculated using the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, resulting in Bridgnorth needing 206 to win off their 33 overs. This total looked a very tough ask against a strong bowling attack full of experience, but what unfolded was a remarkable mix of tension and drama, that no one at Cricket Meadow that afternoon will ever forget.

The reply started steadily as Alex Yarnley, Will Rodenhurst and Ross Hurdley worked hard to accumulate in difficult conditions, but at 70-3 the hosts remained well behind the required rate. A breezy 24 from Cam Wallis in a 50-run partnership with Martin moved the score along to 120-4, but with ten overs left 107 was still required for the win. Sam Baugh then joined his captain in the middle and a mixture of some intelligent running and good hitting saw the run-rate remain within reach, but after Baugh was dismissed for a quickfire 26, Shifnal were firm favourites.

When Rob Hughes joined Martin at the crease, 45 was still needed with just 3.3 overs remaining. But Martin timed his acceleration perfectly, finding the boundary with regular intervals, including three late sixes, leaving just seven needed off the last over.

Just to further ramp up the tension, Bridgnorth’s skipper then had no answer to an excellent delivery from Amar Jassal as he was dismissed for an excellent 69 off just 55 balls. With seven runs still needed off the final four deliveries, Lewis Hurdley managed to scramble a single off his second ball in what would prove a controversial last over, featuring run-out appeals at both ends. Hughes then produced an excellent square drive for four to leave two runs needed off the last ball, before the pair scrambled a run off a wide delivery, as the high drama reached its peak with Bridgnorth snatching the win at the last moment of the game.

This Saturday sees Bridgnorth host near neighbours Worfield at Cricket Meadow.

Bridgnorth III (134-8) beat Market Drayton (133-8) by two wickets

In another game that went down to the wire, the third team edged themselves over the winning line in the final over to clinch just their third win of the season.

After a slightly delayed start, the visitors were asked to bat first by home skipper Ash Bowler. Bridgnorth made the perfect start as opening bowler Alex Thomas knocked back visiting captain Michael Bircher’s middle stump with the first ball of the game, before Jenson Caine took an early wicket of his own. The hosts were unlucky not to pick up a couple more in a threatening opening ten overs, before the visitors’ experienced middle order worked hard to put the game back in the balance.

Ben Cresswell (2-25) then produced an excellent spell, removing two dangerous well-set batsmen, before Guy Black (2-20) used the conditions well to keep the game in control, backed up by a solid fielding display highlighted by two excellent one-handed catches from Kieran Rodenhurst. Arjun Cherukuri was also rewarded with two late wickets, as the visitors were limited to 133 off their 40 overs.

Captain Bowler then started the run chase positively with a 34-ball 28, whilst Charlie Ward showed great composure once again to play the anchor role. The visitors then got themselves back in the game by picking up three quick wickets, before Black joined the impressive Ward (58) to put together a 45-run stand for the fifth wicket, leaving just seven runs needed with eight overs remaining.

However, in an ill-tempered game that had swung back and forth, Bridgnorth lost four wickets with the score still on 127. Sensing an unlikely comeback win, the visitors remained vocal and mounted the pressure on the hosts young lower-order, before Rodenhurst and was joined by Cherukuri. With seven runs still needed with just nine balls left, the pair scampered two byes, leaving five to win in the last over and, showing admirable composure, picked up three further singles before a shy at the stumps led to an overthrow, seeing the home side inch over the line with just two balls remaining.