Bridgnorth (155-1) beat Hawkins (152) by nine wickets

A second opening stand in excess of 150 raced the Cricket Meadow men to the victory target with more than 20 overs to spare. Ryan Lockley continued his superb form at home, where he is averaging 108 so far this year, to top-score with an unbeaten 87, with James Ralph (64) also playing a typically bullish innings at the top of the order.

Earlier, Hawkins had made a solid start having been asked to bat first on an overcast afternoon. The Cannock & Rugeley outfit had worked their way to 60 without loss before the introduction of spin changed the game.

Legspinner Sam Whitney led the way with 5-36, the club’s leading BDPCL wicket-taker producing his best performance so far this season. Combining well with offspinning skipper Mark MacPherson-Lees (2-25), the pair reduced the visitors to 120-8, thanks in part to some well-taken catches in the field.

A couple of late errors allowed the tail to wag a little, before the returning Jamie Brown (2-32) took a couple of welcome scalps, before Ralph (1-7) took the final wicket. The clinical run chase that followed was the icing on the cake.

Captain Mark MacPherson-Lees was delighted with his team, and urged them to continue in the same vein. “It was a great team performance. Sam bowled superbly, and Ryan and Ralphy were excellent in reply to all-but finish the game off.”

“This weekend is the halfway point of the season, and the league is very tight this year, so our aim is to win as many games as possible. A couple more wins could see us go top but we have to keep playing good, positive cricket, and maintain that all the way to the very last game.”

In the first of two trips away from home, Kings Heath provides the next challenge for the Cricket Meadow men.