ASTWOOD BANK insist they will go into their make-or-break relegation decider against Worfield tomorrow (Saturday) with plenty of confidence.
Steve Adshead’s side turned the table upside down last weekend after defeating table-toppers C&R Hawks to keep alive their hopes of staying in the Birmingham League Third Division.
Bank, now fourth from bottom, remain in a relegation dog-fight with 12 points separating Worcester, Whitchurch and Pelsall. They must defeat Worfield and hope either Whitchurch or Pelsall suffer a defeat, as well as getting more points than Worcester.
Adshead says Astwood must focus on their own job, while Pelsall head to Worcester and Whitchurch face the already-relegated Kings Heath.
Spinners Andrzej Jagielski and Jon Summers were the key men last weekend to defeat Hawks by 79 runs.
Chasing Bank’s 184 all out, Omar Ali (46) led the replay but once he was out at 69 for three, the Astwood Bank spinners took control. Jagielski finsihed with three for five from nine overs and Summers took 3-13 from 10 overs to turn the game in their favour.
Earlier, Astwood’s late order rallied to set a respectable total. At 107 for seven, they were in trouble against Hawks but Tom Harris (28), Michael Desmond (32) and Summers (18), supported by a brave 6 not out from 14 years old Muhammed Safiyan, led the recovery.
