Birmingham League round-up
Division One
ROSHAN Venkataraman took five wickets and then hit a half-century along with Worcestershire’s Henry Cullen as Barnt Green kept in touch with the league leaders with an emphatic 187-run win at Moseley.
But victories for top three Halesowen, Knowle & Dorridge and Smethwick meant there was no movement at the top of the table.
Batting first, Barnt Green put on 293/7 from their 55 overs helped by a first wicket partnership of 87 between Ed Pollock (49) and Cullen (80).
With Venkataraman adding 50 and Dan Meredith scoring 32 not out, Barnt Green were able to post an impressive total, Ali Awan the pick of Moseley’s bowlers with 2-47.
The home side were in all sorts of trouble at 13/3 as Venkataraman and Robbie Shurmer devastated the top order and they were skittled out with just 106 on the board. Venkataraman finished with 5-32, Shurmer took 2-35 and Jack Warner snaffled up 2-16 late in the innings.
Leaders Halesowen won by 101 runs at Halesowen after posting 238/9. Chris Whittock top scored with 75 with former Worcestershire ace Alexei Kervezee adding 57. Dinuk De Silva was the star turn with the ball taking 4-46.
Himley struggled against strike bowler Ed Bragg who took 2-16 from his ten overs with Ciaran Baker-Smith and Masihullah Qazkhill then taking three wickets apiece to dismiss the home side for 137.
K&D won by three wickets at Wolverhampton where Nick James sparkled with the ball, taking 4-38 from his 17 overs.
The home side reached 196/7 with opener Ramanjot Jaswal leading the way with 48 and Charles Jackson there at the end on 32 not out.
Jackson then caused chaos with the ball on his way to 2-39 with the wickets coming from consecutive deliveries as K&D slumping from 23/0 to 23/4.
But the visitors rallied with skipper Oliver Currill scoring 44 and George Baines and James putting on 95 for the seventh wicket to take their side to victory. Baines was finally out for 57 but James was still there on 45 not out.
Smethwick’s Indian overseas star Deepak Khatri took 4-38 and Tazeem Chaudry Ali 3-46 as visitors Ombersley were bowled out for 129, Tom Hinley top scoring with 39.
The home side then lost early wickets but a fine partnership from captain Rawait Khan (35no) and Gurbaj Singh (44no) took them over the line for the loss of six wickets.
Shrewsbury’s Rhodri Evans hit 101 off 100 balls to help his side to a 92-run victory at home to Harborne. Opener George Hargrave added a useful 54 as the Shropshire side put on 289/7 with the wickets being shared around.
Kshitiz Sharma’s 62 and Matt James’ 41 were the highlights of Harborne’s innings but they fell well short of their target with Dustin Melton taking 3-41 and Lewis Evans 3-30.
Barnards Green claimed a winnings draw at home to Berkswell after posting an impressive 332/6. Oliver Halion led the scoring with 100, Rehaan Edavalath scored 98 and George Rhodes 67 before Berkswell replied with 232/6, Naim Luhar unbeaten on 98.
Division Two
Dorridge returned to the top of Division Two after beating Kidderminster by two wickets where Ed Thompson’s entertaining 67 not out proved vital.
Batting first, the Worcestershire side reached 218/8 helped by a 93-run fifth wicket partnership between Mateen Khan (53) and Nathan Jukes (54).
After making a good start, Dorridge suffered a mid-innings wobble losing four wickets for 17 runs before Thompson and Ashish Chakrapani (36) joined forces, the former’s innings including five 4s and three 6s. Liam Weston claimed 5-52 but it was not enough to stop the home side from securing the win.
Former front-runners Kenilworth Wardens were denied victory as hosts Worfield held on to secure a losing draw.
Batting first, Wardens were all out for 317 with South African youngster Levi Gekis scoring 135 off 127 balls including eight 6s. He was finally caught off the bowling of Ravan Chahal who took 6-60.
Half-centuries from Arthur Smallman (60) and Ross Aucott (58) kept the hosts in contention and they were on 245 with one wicket remaining at the end of their innings.
Leamington were the day’s biggest winners, strolling to a seven-wicket victory at home to Tamworth where James Hawkins (4-24) and Tom Randle (3-19) were in fine form with the ball in hand. Tamworth were all out for 98 with their opponents hitting their target for the loss of just three wickets, Rory Grant unbeaten on 39 at the close.
Coventry & North Warwickshire climbed out of the bottom two courtesy of their four-wicket defeat of basement club Handsworth.
Harry Horsely’s 4-66 helped the visitors on their way with Montcin Hodge (73) once again the leading scorer for the Birmingham side who reached 269 all out. Coventry skipper Will Iles went for a duck but his partner Arn Kalsi scored 50 before being run out with Okera Bascome scoring 85 not out to help the visitors to 273/6.
Old Hill’s Bilal Hassan scored 86 and Dyan Keeling 69 but their efforts were not enough to stop Shifnal from wrapping up a four-wicket win. Chasing 243, Charlie Home hit 46 before a 105-run partnership between Cameron Jones (56no) and Jack Twigger (46no) wrapped up the win with six wickets down.
West Bromwich Dartmouth had the better of their draw at Stourbridge, Ismail Mohammed’s 122 and Billy-Jo Cox’s 58 steering them to 264/7. The Black Country side reached 181/8 in reply with Mavarick Perry (30) top scoring.
