Stratford suffer DLS defeat to Newport

STRATFORD slipped down to fourth place in Birmingham and District League Division Three as they suffered an agonising one-run defeat to Newport by DLS method at Swan's Nest Lane on Saturday.

The outcome looked unlikely when the players left the field, due to rain, with Newport on 175 for five, from 32.2 overs, in reply to an imposing total of 271 by the Panthers.

The poor weather made it impossible to restart the game and the DLS par score was 174, leaving Newport the winners by a single run.

Chris Whelan (103), Gareth Langman (66) and Dexter Purser (42) were the leading batters for Stratford, with Shabbir Khan (4-35) and Mohammed Fiaz (3-54) the pick of the bowlers for Newport.

Sixty from Sam Davies had placed Newport into the position they found themselves when the game was ended.