ASTWOOD BANK suffered a second successive Birmingham League Division Three defeat as they went down by 11 runs in a high-scoring encounter at Newport.
Bank captain Steve Adshead won the toss and chose to field but it was hard work for the bowlers as Jamie Prew and Maisam Hasnain Jaffri both made half centuries.
Dan Taylor took 3-58 off ten overs and Mike Desmond 2-38 off ten as the Shropshire side made 284-6 off their 50 overs.
Bank’s reply began poorly and they looked destined for a heavy defeat but middle order batsman Pete Alexander made a brilliant unbeaten 135 off just 118 balls including 11 fours and eight sixes to turn the match on its head.
He received excellent support from Tom Shepherd who made 47 off 60 balls but the target proved just beyond the visitors who closed on 273-9.
There was better news on Sunday when Bank defeated hosts Bromsgrove by seven wickets in Worcestershire Sunday League South.
Taylor took 4-19 off his four overs as Bromsgrove made 130-6 off their 20 before the visitors eased to 135-3 with ten balls to spare. Tom Underhill finished unbeaten on 59.
Bank visit Handsworth, also without a league win, on Saturday. The Bankers are also in action on Sunday at home to Kempsey in the National Village Cup second round.
DAN WOLSTENCROFT took 9-59 for Alvechurch & Hopwood but ended on the losing side in a dramatic Worcestershire League Division Three encounter against Bartestree & Lugwardine.
Wolstencroft’s heroics off 15.1 overs appeared to have set the hosts on their way to a second league win of the season as the visitors were dismissed for 115 inside 32 overs.
In reply though, six of the Alvechurch top seven failed to reach double figures as the home side crashed to 43-7.
Jahan Khan’s 31 – the top score of the match – put the hosts back in contention but, needing 21 when the ninth wicket fell, they came up just short as they were dismissed for 113 in the 36th over.
FECKENHAM fell to a seven-wicket Worcestershire League Division One defeat at Worcester, for whom opener Henry Lewis’ 107 inspired victory.
Bryn Evans (81no) also impressed as the hosts eased their way to 245-3 in the 36th over.
Earlier, Daniel Bloomer (97) and William Davies (54) produced breezy knocks as the Millers made what had looked a competitive 242 all out.
Feckenham will target a second win of the campaign when they host Pedmore on Saturday.
COOKHILL suffered a two-wicket defeat at home to Ombersley 3rds in the Worcestershire League Knockout Cup first round on Saturday.
The hosts were put into bat and opener Daniel Mills led the way with 68 off 95 balls before valuable contributions from Chris Pearsall (33) and Andrew Fennell (29) helped their side to 211-8 off 45 overs.
However, top order batsmen Lee Shuck (44) and Will Hymer (96) set Ombersley well on their way to victory despite 3-45 from Fennell as the visitors reached 212-7 with two balls to spare.
