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Three big wins put Bridgnorth back on track

Three big wins put Bridgnorth back on track

Alex Thomas23 May 2017 - 17:22

Bridgnorth's top three senior sides pulled off three excellent wins on Saturday, with the 1st XI clinching their first victory of 2017...

Bridgnorth (134-4) beat Leamington (158) by 6 wickets (DLS method)

The inclement weather did its best to frustrate both teams on Saturday, but Bridgnorth skipper Sam Whitney was delighted with his side taking their first win of the season. "This win has got us up and running, and hopefully we can take confidence from this into next week's derby game against Wellington."

A 35-over per side contest eventually got under way after a two hour wait for the rain to ease, but Cam Wallis (2-28) got the visitors off to a great start with a wicket in the second over. Leamington then got going against some wayward bowling, but the introduction of fifteen-year-old debutant Ross Hurdley made a decisive impact. Three quick wickets for the highly promising, whippy seamer, including the scalp of Warwickshire contracted player Alex Mellor for 29, swung the game back in Bridgnorth favour.

Whitney (2-14) then maintained the pressure with a tight seven-over spell, and a wicket apiece for Dave Exall and Mark MacPherson-Lees saw the hosts dismissed for 158.

Chasing 134 to win off 26 overs after a further rain break, the Cricket Meadow men got off to the worst possible start by losing Exall first ball. But in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Gareth Mumford, who had earlier taken four catches in another excellent stint behind the stumps, smashed a quickfire 39 off 24 balls to put the winning line back within reach.

Ryan Lockley and Ian Gregory would then provide the much-needed partnership to take their side over the line with five balls to spare, Lockley finishing unbeaten on 53, and Gregory a solid 18 not out.

Bridgnorth (107-2) beat Oswestry (106) by 8 wickets

Bridgnorth's second string raced to a easy win over Oswestry at Cricket Meadow, after dismissing the visitors for just 106 in bowler-friendly conditions.

Choosing to bowl first in a 25-over per side contest once the rain had abated, seamers Ollie Gill and James Dawkins (2-8) built the pressure early on. Following his superb match-winning century at Fordhouses last week, teenage all-rounder Patrick Smallman showcased the other half to his all-round ability with four wickets to rip through the middle-order. Two excellent run-outs and tidy bowling from Charlie Walker saw ten-man Oswestry restricted to 106-8.

In reply, skipper Gill and Andy Carson got the hosts off to a quick start to assert their dominance on the game, hitting 39 and 32 respectively at over a run-a-ball, before an unbeaten 19 from Joe Barclay finished the job in the 17th over.

Bridgnorth (116-6) beat Allscott (90) by 26 runs

The 3rd XI clinched a thrilling victory off the final ball of the game on Saturday as thirteen-year-old Matt Fox was the hero of the moment to take the final wicket as the leaden skies gathered.

Skipper Guy Black had earlier top-scored with 45 in Bridgnorth laboured to 116-6 off 35 overs after the wet conditions made runs hard to come by, but a late partnership alongside Steve Barclay (28 not out) had provided a vital late acceleration.

After Alex Thomas took two wickets with the new ball, offspinner Jake Millichamp (4-14) ran through the middle order as Black took two scalps of his own. But as the hosts' lower looked to be solidly saving the draw, Fox had the final say as Bridgnorth scored another important 24-point win.

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