ASTWOOD Bank captain Steve Adshead said his team need only concern themselves with their own affairs and not pay attention to the efforts of their rivals as the Birmingham League Division Three promotion race hots up.
The Sambourne Lane side bounced back from successive defeats with a five-wicket victory over visitors Eastnor on Saturday and Adshead said his team, who jumped into third place, must keep their focus on their own exploits.
“Fordhouses are going great guns at the top at the moment and we’ve got no influence over them for the rest of the season, so there’s no point worrying about them,” said the skipper.
“We’re only eight points behind second placed Pershore and still have to play them again, as well as Streetly, so our promotion fate is in our own hands.
“We know that, if we play to our potential, we have a very good chance of beating any team in this division.
“We are comfortably away from the danger zone so can play without the fear of under-performing.”
Bank, for whom Tom Harris, Mike Desmond and Dan Taylor all took three wickets, comfortably reached a target of 216 with more than 12 overs to spare against Eastnor as Tom Underhill made a fine unbeaten 106 off 101 balls featuring 14 fours and three sixes.
Adshead added: “Everyone is delighted for Tom making that century. It’s his first year back at the club and he’s been desperate to do well, so he’ll take a lot of confidence from that innings.
“We’ve got a testing game at Newport to focus on this Saturday now. They’re mid-table but have been in good form lately and in Rajat Bhatia they have an overseas all-rounder of exceptional talent who has shown his capabilities in the IPL.”
