Kidderminster’s crushing 287 run defeat at Kenilworth Wardens has left Smethwick as the only team in Premier Division One with a 100% record from the first four games after the Broomfield outfit secured a four-wicket success against Knowle & Dorridge. After losing the toss and accepting an invitation to bat first with open arms, Wardens ran up an imposing 380 for seven against Kidderminster at Glasshouse Park from 50 overs. Ali Zaryab Asif led the way with 107 from 115 balls after Jamie Harrison had given the innings a rollocking start with 81 from 56 balls. However, it was England Under 19 all-rounder Jacob Bethell who set Wardens on their way with 36 from 21 balls in an opening partnership of 55 with Harrison. Later in the innings, Henry Cullen hit 44 from 30 balls and Harry Johnson added 43 from 50 balls as Wardens almost made it to 400! The Kidderminster reply began disastrously, losing their first six wickets for 38 before folding to 93 all out from 21 overs. Teenage seamer Tommy Rex took five for 22 for Wardens as they put memories of their 10-wicket defeat to Barnt Green, in the first game of the season, firmly to rest. Having secured the first silverware of the season by winning the Graham Williamson Trophy, last week, Smethwick’s magnificent start to the season continued against K & D who closed on 219 for seven from 50 overs after being invited to bat first. Half-centuries came from Sam Reddish (60), Amir Khan (53) and Hamza Shaikh (51) but Smethwick cruised past the target with four wickets and five overs in hand. Kadeer Ali top scored with 69 with staunch support from Roshan Venkataraman with 53 and Gurinder Singh with 51.

After losing two of their first three games, title holders Berkswell showed that they remain a force to be reckoned with by beating Ombersley by two wickets with three balls remaining. Worcestershire’s Taylor Cornall registered his first BDPCL century for Ombersley with 107 as they finished on 225 for eight from 50 overs. Former Leicestershire all-rounder Neil Dexter took 3 for 32 for Berkswell who looked to be heading for a third consecutive defeat when they slipped to 195 for eight with less than four overs remaining. A fourth wicket stand of 88 between Dexter (63) and skipper Nick James (62) appeared to have been wasted but Staffordshire’s Grant Thornton had other ideas and saw Berkswell through to a narrow victory by smashing an undefeated 32 from 13 balls after coming in at number 10. George Panayi took 3 for 31 for Ombersley who are, still, seeking their first win of the season. Last year’s runners-up Leamington Spa went down to a 35-run defeat at Shifnal after they were dismissed for 169 in response to the home side’s 204 for seven. Ethan Jamieson (56) and Jack Twigger (48 not out) were the mainstays with the bat for Shifnal, but their man of the match was Shaun Lorimer who took 4 for 30 as Leamington went down to their third defeat in a row.

Halesowen earned their first win of the season with a four-wicket success against Shrewsbury. Lewis Evans hit 78 and Matt Swift scored 46 in Shrewsbury’s 243 for eight but 106 from Alex Hinkley and 55 from Alexei Kervezee eased Halesowen to victory off the first ball of the 46th over. In the match between Moseley and Barnt Green, Somerset’s England One Day International batter Tom Banton made his seasonal debut for the visitors, but he shone with the ball, rather than the bat, taking 3 for 39 as Moseley were bowled out for 211. Scotland’s Andrew Umeed top scored with 76 but Moseley’s total proved well under par as Barnt Green romped to a five-wicket win, thanks to 65 from Ben Chapman-Lilley, 51 from Dom Harding and 40 from Jacques Banton.