TANWORTH and Camp Hill cruised to a five-wicket win against Lapworth to secure a second successive victory in the Cotswold Hills Premier Division.
Batting first on a dry wicket, Lapworth made a fast start in an action-packed first 12 overs, which brought 65 runs and three wickets, a dropped catch, and saw visiting captain Sean Cross retire hurt with a cut finger.
Oscar Newell (1-30) and Seth Jordan (1-31) picked up a wicket apiece while Joe Kelso executed a run out to dismiss Lapworth’s overseas player Patrick Homberg without score.
Home captain Andy Turnbull then turned to spin, which changed the pace of the game, as Tom Smith and Tim Keyte combined for a miserly combined spell of 17 overs for just 29 runs.
Keyte (2-12) picked up Mohammed Saghir (34) and Jonny Carr (8), both to sharp stumpings from new signing Nick Sale, before the introduction of Kelso (1-33) saw Andrew Dickinson (16) also fall, one of three batters caught by Turnbull.
And Smith (1-20) returned to complete his spell and quickly had Matthew Barker (4) caught at slip, before Cross returned to the fold, doing his utmost to extend the Lapworth innings.
With the spinners now bowled out Ben Bryant (3-5) came into the attack, and he made short work of the tail, first breaking through Cross’s defence for (24), before cleaning up Fayzan Mohammed (8) and Ethan Glynn (5), to leave Lapworth all out inside 43 overs for just 136 runs.
The Tanworth reply began well as Martin Perfect and James Carey (12) shared a opening stand of 37, before Glenn (2-28) went through Carey’s defences.
A brief spell at the crease from Lee Gill (5) saw him top-edge a sweep from Carr (1-38) only for ill-discipilne from the Lapworth attack to allow TACH to keep the score ticking including a number of no-balls.
The dismissal of Perfect (17), bowled by Cross, with the score on 63, brought together Oscar Newell and Tom Smith, who opted for steady accumulation, as Lapworth struggled to exert any pressure with such few runs to play with.
Newell (24) was eventually bowled by Cross (2-28) but Smith continued unaffected, combining with Turnbull (17 not out) to see the home side to within a single hit of victory before being caught on the boundary for 32, leaving Bryant to join his captain to see TACH home by five wickets with eight overs to spare.
Tanworth are next in action away at Long Itchington on Saturday, May 25 at Whitehall Farm.
