Week seven of the Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League saw the return of the red ball for the Worcestershire playing contingent, as the traditional ‘win, lose or draw’ system was reimplemented.
With sides returning to just one league fixture after a bonkers weekend of double-bill action the week prior, 14 of the Pears playing contingent returned to whites for their local sides.
Halesowen chalked up an impressive win over Kenilworth Wardens by 102 runs, in no small part due to Joe Porter’s superb century.
Batting first, the home side amassed 285-5, with Academy star Porter stroking an eye-catching 105 from 151 balls (14 fours and two sixes), as his innings from number four set his side on course for a handsome win.
Lucian Brockman opened the bowling for Himley on Saturday, with the highly rated fast bowler recording figures of 1-29 from his eight over spell, as the home side restricted Shrewsbury to 198-9 from 55 overs.
Finn Jones (20 off 54) made a start at number three, but was pinned LBW before he could get going, whilst teammate Harry Darley got no rewards for a tidy seven over spell that cost just 34, as Himley went onto win by seven-wickets.
Barnards Green played out an enterprising draw against Dorridge, in a game that saw nearly 550 runs scored overall.
It was Rehaan Edavalath’s Barnards Green who batted first, with the young batter making nine in his side’s total of 284, before Dorridge hung on to end 55 overs 261-8 to secure a draw.
Four Worcestershire players were in action as Barnt Green missed out on some crucial points against Ombersley last weekend.
Batting first, Barnt Green posted 222, mainly thanks to a sublime 79 from Henry Cullen, who’s excellent season at the top of the order goes on, scoring nine boundaries in a typically punchy knock, whilst young gun Alfie Higgins made 12 in the middle order.
Dan Lategan showed his skills with the ball, coming on at first change and finishing with figures of 12-1-55-2, before racing to a run-a-ball 42 with the bat at the top for Ombo, who managed to hang on for a losing draw with a wicket to spare after Seth Essenhigh’s promotion to number three saw him make six.
Alexei Kervezee scored 56 off 54 balls in a losing effort for Harborne, who went down by two wickets to Knowle and Dorridge, whilst Isaac Mohammed made 17 and Kadeer Ali 15* as Smethwick cantered to a five wicket win chasing just 148 to beat lowly Moseley
In Premier Division Two, Jack Home recorded figures of 1-42 from nine overs in a losing cause for Shifnal on Saturday, as his side suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of Stourbridge.
Ben Jones played a vital hand of 26 not-out to see Kidderminster through to a losing draw against Millford Hall, with the Academy prospect helping his team take home eight points.
