Tuesday, April 30th, 2019

CLUB CAPTAIN LEACH CONTINUES COMEBACK WITH TWO WICKETS FOR SHREWS

Joe Leach continued his bowling comeback with two wickets for Shrewsbury in their Birmingham League Premier Division One match with Berkswell.

Worcestershire’s club captain dismissed both openers with the new ball and was able to bowl six overs.

He ended with figures of 6-2-11-2 as Berkswell totalled 219-9 in their 50 overs.

The intervention of rain meant Shrewsbury required a total of 130 in 25 overs and Leach, batting at number three, struck 33 off 38 balls with two sixes and two fours.

But his side were restricted to 119-7 and went down by 10 runs.

County paceman Pat Brown helped his side Dorridge to defeat Shifnal in another game affected by the elements.

Brown ended with figures of 10-3-18-3 in Shifnal’s 196-7 and Dorridge reached a revised target of 132-4 in 36 overs.

Academy player Zain Ul-Hassan was also amongst the wickets with 4-34 from eight overs for Barnt Green against Smethwick who totalled 230-9.

But Barnt Green only had time to score 9-0 from one over before the heavens opened.

In Premier Division Two, Worcestershire duo Alex Milton and Ollie Westbury both struck half centuries when Bromsgrove did battle with Himley.

Milton top-scored with 62 off 68 balls with seven fours batting at number four out of Bromsgrove’s 187-5 in 42 overs.

But opener Westbury replied with 72 not out from 73 balls with nine boundaries and added an unbroken 95 with Callum Lea (38 not out) as Himley reached a revised target of 140 in 20.3 overs.

Another County player in form was George Rhodes but his efforts for Barnards Green were thwarted by the weather.

Rhodes hit 85 not out off 63 deliveries with 13 fours as he and Ryan Tongue (80 not out) – brother of Josh – put on an unbroken 179 in only 22.1 overs against Wolverhampton but no more play was possible.