Division One

Smethwick stretched their lead at the top of the table to 27 points following their six-wicket victory at home to Halesowen.

Yasir Ali and Deepak Khatri shared seven wickets as the visitors were skittled for just 137 inside 44 overs before easing to their total for the loss of just four wickets.

Matt Pardoe was Ali’s first victim on his way to 3-17 from his 11 overs and when Chris Whittock followed him back to the pavilion, Halesowen were reeling at 10 for two.

All-rounder Luke Tulacz put up some resistance while making 63 from 90 balls but with Khatri taking 4-34 from his 10.2 overs, runs were hard to come by.

In reply, opener Isaac Mohammed struck a rapid 46 off 38 balls including two sixes to give Smethwick the perfect start and Raj Beniwal (23no) and Bilal Shafayat (15no) were there to guide them over the line.

Himley edged a last over victory at home to second-placed Knowle and Dorridge and were grateful to the excellent bowling of Graeme White who took 6-54 as the high-flying visitors were dismissed for 198 with eight balls remaining.

Gamindu Kanishkas (2-40) and Ben Robinson (2-47) took the other wickets while skipper James Middleton top scored for K&D with a stoic 64 off 101 balls.

With openers Ollie Westbury (40) and Ollie Walker, who is pictured above while making 55, putting on 93 for the opening wicket, a Himley victory seemed certain but some impressive bowling from Indy Nandra stopped them in their tracks as he took 3-34 from 17 overs.

An unbeaten 49 from Navindu Vithange put the hosts back on course and White capped a fine all-round display with 12no as Himley reached 202 for six with 11 balls to spare.

Berkswell were the day’s big hitters, scoring 316 on their way to a 171-run victory at Barnt Green.

Much of the damage was inflicted by openers Amir Khan (88) and Bailey Capel (86) who put on 158 for the first wicket with skipper Neil Dexter adding a useful 42. Of the bowlers, Robbie Shurmer took 5-81 and Dan Meredith 4-82.

With Berkswell strike bowler Grant Thornton taking 4-30 Barnt Green’s response failed to gather pace with Meredith top scoring with 37 off 91 balls.

Ombersley stormed to a nine-wicket win at Kenilworth Wardens. The home side’s wicket-keeper Oli Dandy scored 68no as they made 230 for eight from their 55 overs but visiting skipper Nick Hammond led by example by scoring an unbeaten 121 alongside Sinel Gunarathne’s 76no.

West Bromwich Dartmouth beat Wolverhampton by four wickets thanks to a half-century from Yusuf Khalil (62) while the only draw in the top division was at Moseley where visitors Barnards Green took the bulk of the points thanks to their 291 for nine which included an excellent 144 from Oliver Hanlon and half-centuries from George Rhodes (54) and Ryan Tongue (52). Moseley reached 140 for eight in reply.

Division Two

Big-hitting Jay Bista hit a sensational 198 to fire Coventry and North Warwickshire to a 195-run win at Kidderminster.

The free-scoring batsman, who has already scored more than 800 league runs this season, was dismissed just shy of completing a second double-hundred in six weeks.

The Indian ace needed just 140 balls to reach his huge total which included 25 fours and six sixes and helped his side reach 343 for eight before declaring after 53 overs.

He then showed his prowess with the ball, taking 3-35 as the Chester Road side were dismissed for 148 with Reuben Majithia (3-35) and Harris Ajaz (3-33) also impressing. Ben Griffin was Kidderminster’s top scorer with 42 from 42 balls.

Leaders Shrewsbury also had a good day with the bat, scoring 284 for eight on their way to a 57-run victory at Dorridge.

Opener George Hargrave (65) and Tyler Ibbotson (70) were the top scorers with Hargrave and Peter Clark (43) putting on 121 for the first wicket.

Clark then took 4-51 to ensure Dorridge fell short of their total and there were also wickets for Alex Ollerenshaw (3-56) and Lewis Evans (3-67).

Andre Bradford scored an unbeaten 100 to help Shifnal to an eight-wicket win at Bridgnorth, linking up with Michael Robinson (89) in a 173-run opening partnership. 

The home side had previously set a target of 207 for eight helped by Seb Scott’s unbeaten 101 but this was reached for the loss of two wickets in just 31.2 overs.

Tejas Wagle (3-27) and Oliver Davidson (3-37) were the chief wicket-takers as Old Hill were skittled out for 144 on their way to a 68-run defeat at home to Harborne. Only Waqas Ahmed (48) was among the runs before being the first of three players to be run out. 

The visitors had also struggled at times but posted 212 for nine with Ben Shepperson hitting 61 to lead the way.

There was a five-wicket haul for Matthew Rees (5-37) as Worfield chalked up a 118-run victory at Leamington. Hanro Swanepoel and Shahrukh Khan also bagged two apiece as the home side were dismissed for 103. Swanepoel had earlier starred with the bat, hitting 84 off 88 balls to guide his side to 212.

Wellington’s match with Tamworth finished in a draw. Dan Lloyd (100) and Dhruv Parashar (67) helped the Shropshire hosts to 199 for eight with their opponents reaching 149 for seven in reply with Jason Jakeman hitting 34 before becoming one of Parashar’s three victims.