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Shantry Shines for Shrewsbury 01/05/2010 - Nick Archer
Although they compiled the highest score of the day, across all four divisions, 2009 title holders, Knowle & Dorridge, were unable to convert their supremacy into a win, at Walmley, leaving unfancied Shrewsbury and Moseley to lead the way after the first round of matches in the Premier Division. Luke Parker (72), Attiq Chishti (52) and Richard Johnson (52) struck half-centuries, as the Champions piled up 278 for seven, at their Warwickshire rivals, with off-spinner, Paul Griffiths (4 for 70) striving, manfully, to stem the tide. In reply, Bhavik Patel (62) and Tim Gruijters (56), also, hit half-centuries but Walmley fell well short on 194 for seven. A fine all-round effort from Worcestershire’s Jack Shantry guided Shrewsbury to victory, over Walsall, at London Road. Shantry, who played for Walsall, last season, hit 42 in his side’s 142 all out with Tom Freeman taking 5 for 48, for the visitors, who slumped to 130 all out, despite a battling 68 from Tim Maxfield. Shantry’s 5 for 38 did the damage and off-spinner Rob Foster nipped in with 4 for 28. Wellington crumbled to 83 all out, at Moseley, with Fred Eburah taking 8 for 32. Moseley lost three wickets, as they picked off the Wellington attack, to secure victory in the 20th over. A classy 65 from Warwickshire’s Varun Chopra was the highlight of the Barnt Green innings, which was closed at 234 for six, after 55 overs. Gavin Shephard added 44, with Moeen Ali sneaking in with three wickets for Smethwick, who never, really, threatened the Barnt Green total, despite the presence of Ali, currently, one of the leading run scorers in first-class cricket. Faisal Shahid top scored with 58 and Mo Sheikh defied the Barnt Green attack with an unbeaten 49. Martyn Donald (65) top scored in Kenilworth Wardens’ 205 for nine, against Wolverhampton, who responded with 162 for seven, with Danny Bowyer hitting 44. Earlier, Chris Russell took 4 for 59 to put a brake on the Wardens. The match between Kidderminster Victoria and Himley was, interestingly, poised when rain intervened and the match was abandoned. Both these Clubs are strong title contenders and they will have fancied their chances in this game. Shafiq Ahmed took 4 for 33, as Kidderminster were dismissed for 177, and Himley had reached 72 for three, from 19.2 overs, when the match was abandoned. Two of the expected front runners for the Division One title, Dorridge and Old Hill, were involved in a thriller and it was the Black Country side who drew first blood with a narrow 15 run success, despite a thrilling 112 by Warwickshire’s Keith Barker for the home side. An unbeaten 85 by skipper Nathan Round saw Old Hill to 203 for six but Dorridge fell short as they chased a testing target. Newly promoted Wombourne made a promising start to the new campaign, easing to a 78 run success over a former giant of the Midlands Club game, Coventry & N.W. Left hander, Michael Hill, who has returned to the Club, from Himley, hit an unbeaten 105 and Staffordshire’s Liam Hughes added 44, as Wombourne racked up 263 for five on their compact ground in the village centre, before Adam Quiney destroyed the Coventry line-up with 5 for 32. Ahmed Khan (49) and Tony Bristow (42) provided some resistance but Wombourne passed their first test, at this level, with ease. The other promoted side, Brockhampton, fared less well, struggling to 83 for seven, before the match was abandoned as a draw, in reply to Shifnal’s 170 all out. Richard Murrall and David Powles, both, hit 53 for the Shropshire outfit, while Herefordshire’s Chris Boroughs took 4 for 53 for Brockhampton. The two sides who were relegated from the Premier Division, at the end of last season, Bromsgrove and Leamington Spa, claimed victories of a differing nature, against Stratford-upon-Avon and West Bromwich Dartmouth. Nick Husbands took 5 for 42, as Stratford were dismissed for 151, then Worcestershire’s Alexei Kervezee (80 not out) and Jayden Levitt (43) eased Bromsgrove to an early win. Lee Hopkins (57) and Rob Williams (56) steered Leamington to 242 for nine, against Dartmouth, with Imran Khan taking 4 for 71 for the visitors, who fell 18 runs short, on 224 all out. Khan hit 61, Rawlston Tappin added 40 and Latif Ahmed was unbeaten on 40 but Tom Lewis (4 for 47) and Faisal Khalid (3 for 56) swung the game in Leamington’s favour. Jhangir Khan (74) top scored in Attock’s 201 all out, which proved 32 runs, too many, for Halesowen, who slipped to 169 all out, despite a defiant 83 from former Aston Unity and Newport batsman, Salim Malik. In Division Two, there were first day wins for Berkswell, Ombersley, Tamworth and Water Orton but the match between Bridgnorth and Aston Manor was abandoned with the home side in a strong position. Jack Edwards hit 58, on his League debut, for Bridgnorth, who closed on 194 for nine. Manor picked up extra points for a winning draw, due to a faster run rate, even though they finished well behind, on 129 for seven, after 31 overs. Captain, Peter Evans made 40 but Jono Whitney’s 4 for 52 threatened to win the game for Bridgnorth. Overseas Player, Wessell Hartslief made 61 in Berkswell’s 192 all out, against St.Georges, for whom, Carl Ward took 4 for 47. The visiting batsmen had no answer to a devastating piece of seam bowling from Warwickshire prospect Tom Milnes (4 for 14) and, with Dave Brignull and Babar Khan picking up three wickets, each, St. Georges were blown away for 72. Matt Snyman (72) and Paul Thomas (44) lifted Evesham to 204 for eight, in spite of 5 for 32, from Arti Fiaz, but Ombersley cruised home, by seven wickets, with more than eight overs remaining, thanks to Joey Robinson (59) and Marcus D’Oliveira (48). Lesroy Irish (4 for 25) destroyed the Harborne innings, as they folded to 85 all out, in response to Water Orton’s 157 all out and Tamworth were impressive three wicket winners against Whitchurch, chasing down a useful 197 for eight, thanks to an excellent 68 by newly signed Overseas Player, Simon Schwerdt. Simon Macey (57) and Phil Slade (49) took Old Elizabethans to 220 for six, against Cannock, who were pegged back to 154 for nine by Olly Griffiths (4 for 30). The highlight for Cannock was Mike Talbot’s 69. Three of the Clubs promoted from the Feeder Leagues, at the end of last season, were brought down to earth with a bump, Bablake Old Boys, Brewood and Oswestry slipping to defeats, while Pershore were foiled by the rain which cut short their game, with Eastnor, by three overs, with the visitors nine wickets down. Nasar Ali’s 5 for 24 cut down Bablake for 131, against relegated Sutton Coldfield, who eased home, by seven wickets, while Oswestry fared even worse, at Fordhouses. Jatin Kohli took 6 for 34, as Oswestry crashed to 92 all out and Russell Thompson’s undefeated 62 ensured a successful start to the season for Fordhouses. In pursuit of Brewood’s 182 for eight, Studley reached 181 for five, then 182 for six, before a hat-trick from Chris Guest (7 for 61) set up a dramatic finish. Missing three front-line players, Brewood recovered from 61 for five to reach a creditable total, thanks to 45 from Stuart Jevons. As ever, Stuart Harris (5 for 43) produced the goods, for Studley, before an opening stand of 103, by Simon Stamenkovic (51) and Joe Dodd (43) laid the foundations for what should have been an easy win. Brandon Miller’s 40 appeared to have finished the job but Guest’s return to the attack, after a disappointing opening spell, had nerves jangling in the visiting dressing room. Joe Taylor (91) and Lee Wilks (69 not out) played well for Pershore, on their return to the League, but Eastnor hung on at 200 for nine, one run shy from denying them an extra two points, in response to their hosts total of 266 for six. Toby Swift top scored for Coleshill, with 49, against Olton & W.W. with Xavier Gabriel picking up 4 for 35, as Coleshill were 167 all out. In reply, Olton could, only, muster 140, handing victory their opponents by 27 runs. The all Staffordshire affair, between Lichfield and Penn turned into a thriller, albeit a low-scoring one, as Penn scraped a one wicket victory. Lichfield’s 136 for nine was, almost, enough but Sandeep Dhillon’s 51 proved to be the match-winner. Jacob Van Galen’s 5 for 52 kept Lichfield in the game but Penn’s last pair hung on to secure victory.