03/05/2008 - Nick Archer
In Division One, Old Hill crushed Shrewsbury by 111 runs, Harborne defeated Sutton Coldfield by 105 runs and there were wins for Cannock, against Attock, and Stratford-upon-Avon, against Halesowen. Chris Hansberry (70 not out), Nathan Round (56 not out) and Paul Lazenbury were the main contributors in Old Hill’s 214 for three but, only, Ed Foster’s 50 held them up, as Richard Jones took 4 for 31, in a reply of 103 all out. Darren Franklin (67) and Simon Gear (60) led Harborne to 209 for nine, at Rectory Park, with Hassan Misbah taking 4 for 46 on his first appearance for Sutton, who were shot out for 104, with Mark Thompson taking 4 for 13. An unbeaten 70 from Australian, Brian May steered Stratford-upon-Avon to a five wicket success, after they had bowled out Halesowen for 149. Cannock owed their win to Richard Hewitt, who scored 61, as they, chased Attock’s disappointing 155, of which Tariq Mahmood contributed 49. In the match between the two sides, relegated from the Premier Division, last season, Wellington had the better of a draw, after Steve Lamb’s 54 guided them to 160 for eight. Warwickshire’s Tim Groenewald took 4 for 30, for Coventry, for whom Tony Bristow scored 40 in his side’s response of 127 for eight. Wellington’s Adam Byram finished with figures of 5 for 32. There was a close match, at Dorridge, where the home side raced to 247 for seven, against Bromsgrove. A dogged 81, from Imran Jamiel, led the way, and he received staunch support from Stuart Eustace (63) but the innings of the day came from Omar Ali, who made 115 in Bromsgrove’s brave effort of 233 for eight. For the second part of his innings he batted with a runner, after what appeared to be a severe bout of cramp but he couldn’t find anyone to stay with him, as the innings reached a climax and Bromsgrove held on for a losing draw.
Aston Manor won a low scoring match in Division Two, against close rivals, Aston Unity, dismissing Unity for 72, in reply to their own effort of 126. Mohammed Yahya took 6 for 26, for Unity, while Julius Benjamin shone for Manor with 4 for 13. In a tense finish, at Berkswell, visiting Penn squeezed to victory by one wicket, in the face of some hostile bowling by former Leicestershire paceman, Dave Brignull (6 for 27). Dominic Ostler’s 49 was the mainstay of Berkswell’s 144 but Arvinder Bhogal (60) and Jon Homer’s 53 proved to be decisive for Penn. Evesham’s Overseas Player, Abey Juhnjuhnwala enjoyed a superb debut, against St. Georges, top scoring with 60 in his side’s total of 162. Hitshu Bachani took 4 for 57, for the Shropshire side, before Juhnjuhnwala (4 for 7) and Nick Powell (4 for 36) combined to dismiss the visitors for 89. Newport slumped to 112 all out, at Old Elizabethans, Oliver Griffiths taking 5 for 29 and Stuart Lockwood finishing with 4 for 44, to set up a five wicket victory for the Worcester Club and there was a thumping 132 run win for Ombersley, against relegated Water Orton. Duncan Catterall smashed an undefeated 123, in a total of 234 for nine, before another former Worcestershire man, Matt Rawnsley took 4 for 19, as Water Orton went, meekly, for 102. Keryn Ambler hit 72 in Tamworth’s 178 for eight, against Smethwick, who replied with 135 for nine.
Three of the sides promoted from the Feeder Leagues, at the end of the 2007 season, Bablake Old Boys, Brockhampton and Lichfield recorded opening day wins, as did Coleshill and Bridgnorth. The match between two of the favourites for promotion, Wombourne and Olton & W.W. fizzled out into a tame draw, after Wombourne racked up the highest total of the day, 304 for five. Alex Hughes (99), Michael Branch (93 not out) and Liam Hughes (48) took toll of the Olton attack but the visitors held on at 137 for seven, in reply. Bablake were three wicket winners, at Fordhouses, for whom, new skipper Russell Thompson (48) was the only batsman to shine, against Tom Cowley (4 for 30) and Steve Swaffield (4 for 73). An unbeaten 58, from Richard Bush, saw the Coventry side to a confidence-boosting win, as they seek to establish themselves in the League. Another new side that tasted victory was Brockhampton, who thrashed Herefordshire neighbours, Kington, by seven wickets. Shaun Cartwright took 6 for 28, as Kington crumbled to 64 all out, then an unbeaten 37 from Chris Boroughs saw Brockhampton off to a flying start. Dean Price (69) top scored, as Lichfield totalled 194 for seven, against Studley, who were dismissed for 125, in reply, Jamie Sarginson taking 5 for 30. Bridgnorth won the all Shropshire clash, against Whitchurch, by 68 runs, after dismissing their visitors for 72, while another Shropshire outfit went down to a four wicket defeat at Coleshill. Warrick Fynn smashed 128 for promoted Oswestry but Lee Bird (6 for 47) kept everybody else in check before Lee Craig (77) and Daminda Ranaweera (59) saw Coleshill to a well earned 20 points.