Wem

WEM have one foot in the Birmingham and District League after they secured a win and a winning draw in their opening two games of the play-offs last weekend.

With a weekend double header, Sam Peate’s men are top of the four-team round-robin league after picking up 16 points in Saturday’s draw with Walmley and 24 points with Sunday’s last-gasp win over Astwood Bank.

On Saturday, Wem were put into bat at home to Walmley and the now-established opening pair of Peate and Harry Chandler gave them a perfect platform to post 195-9 from their 50 overs.

The pair put on 80 for the opening wicket before Chandler was caught by Recordo Gordon off Michael Waugh’s bowling for 41 while Peate added a further 36 with Harry Astley before the number three was caught off Waugh’s bowling.

However, two more wickets fell for only six runs as Steve Blenkinsopp went for two and Peate was out for 45, dismissed by Jamie Hall.

From there, Wem scored consistently as Walmley took wickets with Martyn Davies the next best scorer with 18.

In reply, Wem made a perfect start as opener Daniel Beavan was run out by Andy Mortimer for just one while Roshan Balaji was caught by Mortimer off Danny Cohen’s bowling.

It was soon 12-3 as James Astley had Andrew Hendry stumped by Chandler for eight as Wem were in rampant form.

Opener Daniel Bromley and skipper Waugh repaired the innings before the latter was out for 16, bowled by Tom Astley, before Ben Peel once again ripped through the middle order, taking three quick wickets.

Walmley reached a total of 88-9 but Wem could not take that last wicket for victory as the visitors closed out on 111-9.

On Sunday, it was roles reversed as Peate lost the toss again and Astwood Bank went for the full 25 points by batting first.

The hosts made a solid start, reaching 43 before Rob West was dismissed by Danny Cohen, who took 4-45 from 15 overs.

Tom Underhill was denied a half-century when he caught by Matthew Cohen off Tom Astley for 49 but skipper Pete Alexander went one better to reach his milestone as Astwood were 207 all out.

In reply, Peate was first man out for just eight, but in a stand of 41 with Chandler, who smashed 88 from 81 balls, as Wem chased their target down.

He was out to make it 115-4 but scores of 23 from Matthew Cohen, 19 from Davies, 28 from Peel and 21 not out from Josh Gough saw them over the line for the two-wicket win.

They face Pelsall on Saturday, knowing a winning draw will be enough.

Iscoyd & Fenns Bank/Calverhall

THERE was a chance for local bragging rights on Saturday when Calverhall and Iscoyd & Fenns Bank met and fought out an entertaining draw, with the visitors taking a small advantage.

The hosts won the toss and decided to insert Iscoyd who posted a high-score of 241-7 from their 40 overs.

In a frustrating season for Iscoyd, it was a release for Paul Gresty as he recorded an excellent century to give his a platform to go for a win.

he dominated the Iscoyd scorecard with the next highest scorer, skipper Duncan Wright, scoring 29.

Gresty was eventually dismissed for 108, bowled by Ian Millard, one of his two wickets while Chris Rowe also took two.

In reply, the 10 men of Calverhall fought hard to grab the win, with opener Ben Oakley scoring a finer 86 at the top of the innings, before he was caught by Duncan Wright off Ray Dale’s bowling.

Rowe chipped in with a fine 39 while Millard and Oliver Griffiths scored 25 and 21 respectively as Calverhall finished 213-6 from their 40 overs.

On Saturday,. Calverhall sign off with a trip to Trysull &Seisdon.

Meanwhile, Iscoyd’s second XI lost at home to Beacon’s third XI as they 60 uns short of their target of 195, finishing on 132-3 from their 40 overs.

Steve Reece top-scored with 50.

Ellesmere

ELLESMERE first XI’s fate was sealed after a defeat on the weekend at Beacon firsts means relegation from the Shropshire County Cricket League Division One.

A target of 239 set by Beacon proved too much for Ellesmere who could only mange a score of 123 all out.

Ellesmere bowler Bradley Chapman took five wickets while Ashley Thomas took four.

Their solid bowling was not enough to keep the score down, and was matched by the bowling efforts of Chris Cook for Beacon.

Graeme Cowey high-scored for Ellesmere with 32 helped by Felix Ashley’s 24 and George Duncan’s 21.

There will only be pride to play for in Ellesmere’s final fixture of the season away at Bridgnorth seconds.

Ellesmere seconds were also on the wrong end of the scoreline in their weekend fixture as they lost by 106 runs to Ludlow third XI.

Ludlow batted first and set a target of 262-8 with Matthew Hawes’ 93 not out being the standout score.

In reply, Ellesmere could only reach 156 all out.

A half century for Simon Roberts, supported by Aaron Clegg’s 40 runs set them on their way, but a collapse from the tail-end of the batting order confirmed their defeat and a second from bottom finish for the season.

Ellesmere thirds lost to Newport third XI by 136 runs on Sunday.

They face Bomere Heath thirds away on Sunday.

Malpas

MALPAS finished their 2019 season third from bottom as they were beaten at home to Westminster Park on Saturday.

A century from Rajesh Kumar Majra (148) set the platform for a score of 282 all out for Westminster with Callum Southall taking 4-55 as the pick of the home bowling.

In reply, skipper Keith Rickett scored a fine 62 with Mike Parry adding 31 but Malpas were eventually bowled out for 121 including three ducks in the last four wickets as Malpas lost by 161 runs.

Coton Hall

COTON Hall’s last-gasp bid for promotion was halted after they were well-beaten at champions Lilleshall on Saturday.

Alex Cadman’s men batted first after the hosts wont he toss, but the skipper was the first man out, dismissed by Samuel Davis for just three.

The top order for Coton all made starts, but none then went on to make big scores as they finished on 142-6 from their 40 overs.

In reply, Dan Thomas and Jonathan Towers made early breakthroughs but Lilleshall then sailed through to 146-2, with Charlie Bate unbeaten on 54, to win the league by one point from Llanidloes.

Whitchurch

WHITCHURCH’S second XI were beaten comfortably in their final home game of 2019 as Alberbury came away with victory on Saturday.

The second XI skipper Mike Ellis wont he toss and decided to give his side a target to chase, but visiting opener Katie Green scored 64 to set up Alberbury’s total of 193-6 from their 40 overs.

It was two wickets apiece for Ellis, Dominic Freer-Carmichael and Dave Weaver.

In reply, Freer-Carmichael’s 53 was not enough to stop defeat as Whitchurch were bowled out for 133, with Weaver adding 34 opening up.