The County League play-offs to determine the two sides who will be promoted to play in BDPCL Premier Division Two in 2023 finished in exciting fashion with the outcome uncertain until the last five overs of the final match. After winning their first two matches, Tamworth went into their meeting with Old Hill knowing that six bonus points would secure top position even if they were defeated, while victories for Old Hill and Coventry & N.W., who faced Whitchurch at Halesowen, would leave both clubs level on 45 points. That outcome, provided Tamworth took six points, would result in promotion for Coventry by virtue of their victory in the head-to-head clash with Old Hill in the first round of matches last Saturday. An added twist was that, if Tamworth were defeated by Old Hill, and failed to pick up any more than four bonus points, and Whitchurch were defeated by Coventry, Tamworth would miss out and the Black Country club and Coventry would be promoted. A defeat for Tamworth with five bonus points earned would leave all three sides level on 45 points with the two top places decided by a runs per wicket calculation. For most of the afternoon, this looked as though it might happen, with the rpwc changing every time that a wicket fell!

At Halesowen, the Shropshire side won the toss and invited Coventry to bat first with Elliott Bowen (3 for 12) striking three early blows to reduce the Warwickshire County League Champions to 29 for three. The loss of two more quick wickets saw them slip further to 43 for five before a sixth wicket stand of 82 between Manish Kamboj (52) and Marco Higgins (21) relieved the pressure. Run scoring was never easy and this turned out to be a crucial partnership with Coventry sliding to 145 all out in the 35th over. For the third time in three matches, Kashif Hussain (4 for 40) took four wickets for Whitchurch, but, at the end of the innings, there was a feeling that Coventry had scored enough, thanks to Kamboj and Higgins. And, so it proved, as Whitchurch slumped to 47 for six and there was no middle order stand to save them. Kunul Dabas battled hard for 30 from 64 balls but the highest partnership was 26 for the eighth wicket between Dabas and Dan Bowen (16). Bowen’s dismissal at 106 signalled the end with last man Shafiq Ahmed unable to bat with an injured hand.

Coventry’s victory meant that the only way Old Hill could finish in the top two was to limit Tamworth to five points or less. Four points and promotion was secured for Old Hill. Five points and they, still, retained a chance with the rpwc. Old Hill won the toss and elected to bat and half-way through their 50 overs, stood on 95 for three led by 36 from Omar Masood. Skipper Bilal Hassan replaced Masood and went on to play the innings of the match, finishing unbeaten on 85 as Old Hill closed on 251 for eight in 50 overs. Suraj Chauhan took three for 35 for the Champions of the South Staffordshire County League. Tamworth’s quest for six points wasn’t helped by a dropped catch in the final over which would have given them a fourth bowling point. They, now, needed a total of 200 to earn the three points they required to guarantee promotion and they began well, cruising to 75 for 2 before the third wicket fell in the 13th over. Sam Wright (4 for 46) took an early wicket, but it was his second spell that helped to change the game as he and Hassan (3 for 40) caused Tamworth to slide to 141 for seven with nine runs required to ensure they finished on 45 points alongside Coventry & N.W. They crept over that hurdle but lost another wicket at 153 with another 47 runs required to eliminate Old Hill. There were, still, 18 overs left but Tamworth’s objective switched from winning the match to making sure they reached 200. By now, Old Hill were firm favourites but a nerveless ninth wicket stand of 48 between the experienced Ben Maddox (52 not out) and Tom Kinson (26) saw them achieve their target off the first ball of the 45th over. Kinson was dismissed one run later before some late hitting from Maddox and some understandably careless bowling from Old Hill saw Tamworth finish on 247 for nine, just five runs short of winning three out of three. Old Hill were worthy winners on the day, but they will rue a missed opportunity to have earned an extra batting bonus point at Coventry last week when they lost their last three wickets cheaply after the game had gone!

At the end of the closest and most exciting of the three play-off tournaments so far, Tamworth and Coventry & N.W. earned promotion but there was very little between the top three teams. Although Whitchurch were defeated in their three matches, they were competitive in all three, and represented the Shropshire County Cricket League with great dignity, despite suffering injuries during games and the unavailability of their suspended captain for the second match.