Stratford remain at the summit of the Warwickshire League Premier Division after convincing win against Kings Heath
Stratford are sitting pretty at the top of the Warwickshire League Premier Division after a convincing weekend win over Kings Heath.
Neel Ammanath anchored the innings superbly, carrying his bat through the innings with an unbeaten 111 off 153 balls.
His innings was a masterclass in patience and shot selection, featuring 10 fours at a strike rate of 72.55.
He found meaningful support in John Stratton, who struck a fluent 69 off 85 balls, peppered with 10 boundaries and a six.
Together, the pair put on a vital partnership that stabilised the innings after early setbacks.
A brief but explosive cameo came from Nathan Edwards, who blasted 30 off just 15 deliveries, including five boundaries and a six, injecting momentum into the innings during the middle overs.
In reply, Kings Heath lost wickets regularly and disciplined bowling from the home side restricted any significant partnerships.
Archie Walker made an early impact with three wickets, including the key scalps of George McKeever and Fahad Saeed.
The standout bowling performance came from Jack White, who tore through the middle and lower order with a match-winning spell of 4 for 55 from 12 overs.
Sean Hopwood also contributed crucially, taking 2 for 15 in 11 miserly overs, maintaining relentless pressure.
Stratford wrapped up the Kings Heath innings in quick fashion to secure an 86-run success.
In Division Three, a strong batting display saw third-placed Studley triumph at Ambleside by 46 runs.
Kieron Ward led the innings with a composed 70 off 107 balls, supported by Raheem Basharat’s steady 72 from 117, the two sharing a stand of 120 for the second wicket.
Daniel Taylor added an unbeaten 42 from 43 balls to help Studley to 220 for 5.
Andrew Rhodes delivered an exceptional spell in the Ambleside reply, taking three wickets for just six runs in 10 overs, including six maidens.
Stuart Harris was also outstanding, claiming 5 for 50 in nine overs to dismantle the opposition’s middle and lower order.
Kieron Ward supported well with two wickets for 44 runs from 9.2 overs.
In the same division, league leaders Earlswood recorded a six-wicket win over Wishaw.
Batting first, Wishaw posted 134 all out in 45.4 overs. Ben Fitzgerald led Earlswood’s bowling attack, claiming 4 for 44, while James McSweeney supported with 3 for 20.
Earlswood chased down the target in just 23.4 overs.
Alex Laud top-scored with a brisk 36, setting the tone for a dominant run chase.
