Green light for opening Exhall victory
EXHALL and Wixford picked up their first win of the season in the Cotswold Hills League Premier Division, beating visitors Shipston by five wickets.
Will Green proved the star turn for the hosts, taking 1-21 from his opening ten over spell and then hitting a century to help wrap up the victory.
Shipston skipper Jack Murphy won the toss and elected to bat and his side built their innings steadily after losing opener Matt Corby (17) early on. Ryan Worthington (29) and Jamie Shurmer (49) put on 64 for the second wicket and Murphy’s arrival increased the run rate as he hit a quick-fire 39 before being caught off the bowling of Rob Perry (2-54).
Further runs came from Tom Cox (31) and Dan Knight (34) on the way to 230/8 from their 45 overs with Richard Layton (3-74) and Tom Richardson (2-34) also among the wickets.
Exhall’s innings started quickly but they found themselves in trouble at 55/4 after 12 overs with Sam Dexter taking 2-39 – the wickets falling in successive balls – and running out former Shipston opener Julian Morris (35).
Simon Hollands then joined Green at the crease and the pair put on a 154-run partnership to take the game away from the visitors. Green was finally bowled by Shurmer (1-15) for 100 with Hollands (46no) and Barry Weston guiding their side home in the 43rd over.
Tanworth and Camp Hill were the Premier Division’s biggest hitters, amassing a huge 324/5 which included two centuries on their way to a 96-run victory at Leek Wootton.
The loss of openers Martin Perfect (11) and James Carey (36) brought Tom Smith and Josh Wigginton to the centre and the pair had a field day against the home bowlers. Smith top scored with 116 while Wigginton hit 100.
Smith then took 4-38 to cap an excellent all-round display with Wigginton (2-19) taking out Leek Wootton’s openers as the hosts fell short in spite of a spirited 93 from Aasheesh Talwar before he was caught off the bowling of Andy Turnbull (2-27).
Norton Lindsey and Wolverton celebrated their first win over hosts Alcester and Ragley who are still looking to break their duck.
Pinned back by the bowling of David McInnes (2-20) and Gavin Shephard (3-28) early on, it took the arrival of Tim Foster (53) and skipper Paul Dipple (80) to boost the tally before the pair fell to Tom Wilcox (2-49) and Ragley were left on 236/9 from their 45 overs.
In reply, a 163-run third-wicket partnership between Stuart Shephard and David Johnson was vital for the visitors and when the latter was caught behind off the bowling of Edward Taylor, it was Shephard (103no) and skipper Jack Yendall (12no) who steered them to their winning total in the 36th over.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division, an unbeaten 89 from James Cooper and Sam Cooper’s 62 helped Kineton to a tense two-wicket win at home to Wellesbourne, the winning runs coming with the penultimate ball.
But there was disappointment for Wellesbourne as they lost by one wicket at Lapworth, Travis Butcher (64) top scoring for the visitors while Greg Ricketts and Ed Smith took four wickets apiece.
There were runs aplenty in the other divisions and the highest individual score of the weekend came at Ashorne and Moreton Morrell in Division One where Michael Powell smashed 135 only for his side to lose out to Moreton-in-Marsh.
Louis Glover (96no) and Pankaj Kane (79) helped steer FISSC to 298/8 and victory over their Division Two visitors Woodbourne while in Division Three, Laura Smitten scored 106 not out as Earlswood eased to victory over Kineton 2nds.
And a special mention to Southam bowler Craig Lenton who took an amazing 5-7 in his side’s 65-run victory over Stoneleigh in Division Two.