Bridgnorth see off rivals as Worfield taste derby defeat

The near neighbours met at the level for the first time and hosts Bridgnorth heaped more misery on their winless visitors but were made to work for their six-wicket victory.

Worfield, in their first Birmingham League season, swept aside early-season batting issues to pile on 247-9 from their 50 overs having elected to bat at Cricket Meadow.

Basit Zaman top scored with 77, including 10 fours, before Ryan Quiney and Joseph Arnold, batting at seven and nine, boosted Worfield’s total from 207-7 to a more tricky 247 with a powerful late display.

Bridgnorth shared around the wickets. Sam Baugh claimed 2-30 while there was one each for Ben Roberts, David Exall, Mike Hill, Charlie Walker and Matty Simmonds.

Staffordshire all-rounder Hill was the home star with a supreme unbeaten 97 from 104 balls to ensure the victory would belong to Bridgnorth.

Skipper Exall (40) and Karl Quiney (46) had already chalked up a second-wicket stand of 52 to put the hosts well in charge.

But Hill, at four, took over to finish the job in style in an entertaining local contest full of runs that eventually proved smooth-sailing for Bridgnorth.

Worfield, still looking for a first win, stay bottom with Bridgnorth fifth, looking to stay in touch with the division’s top four.

Wem are seventh after a home defeat in a low-scoring contest against Walsall.

Hosts Wem were put in to bat but managed a meagre 87 all out from 28 overs having dropped to 22-3 and failed to recover.

Graham Wagg (25) and Craig Heath (18) offered some brief resistance but it was futile as Jordan Bulpitt (3-15) did the damage for Walsall.

Walsall made hard work of their chase with little support to captain Amit John’s 33. Things looked hairy at 84-6 before Wagg bowled Jacob Ward for 85-7, only for the visitors to just about recapture their composure and squeeze over the line for a three-wicket win.

Meanwhile, in Premier Division One Shifnal’s progress was checked with a heavy defeat on the road at high-flying Barnt Green.

The Worcestershire hosts placed Shifnal into bat, but it proved a difficult innings for Shifnal, with wicketkeeper James Sookias (40) and Ethan Jamieson (47) their best offerings.

Shaun Lorimer’s late 34 was useful in a total of 175 all out from 50 overs, but it would prove not nearly enough as the home side roared back.

Barnt Green lost just two wickets in their hunt, as Mitch Stanley and Jamieson struck, but Jacques Banton’s unbeaten 66 added to opener Ben Chapman-Lilley’s 58 to see them home with some time to spare. Shifnal dropped to seventh with a second defeat from five.

Shrewsbury fell to a home defeat to mid-table Kenilworth Wardens to leave the London Road men second-bottom.

Kenilworth recovered from a sluggish start to power to 284-6 thanks in main to an outstanding contribution from Harry Johnson with 136.

Shrewsbury skipper Will Parton led from the front in reply. His 80 was added to by wicketkeeper Matthew Swift’s 39 as the target looked on but not before Tommy Rex roared into style for the visitors with four crunch late wickets at 4-25 as Shrews ended 81 runs short.