Whitchurch hopes ended by the rain

Though the Shropshire League champions finished their play-off campaign with victory over Fordhouses, a rain-off between Handsworth and Stourbridge saw those two sides promoted at Whitchurch’s expense.

Recent torrential rain in Birmingham allied with Saturday’s temperatures of around 12 degrees Celsius proved too much for the natural bowl at Hinstock Road and as a result the match officials were forced to accept the inevitable.

Despite being unable to qualify, Whitchurch and South Staffordshire League champions Fordhouses were able to get some action in at Heath Road where hosts Whitchurch won the toss and batted first in a contest reduced to 46 overs per side.

Opener Maisam Jaffri followed up his hundred last Saturday with another fine contribution that eventually delivered an 86-ball 70.

And with Saad Wasim (30no) and Elliott Bowen (27) providing useful late acceleration, Whitchurch closed on 198 for nine.

Mubeen Rashid who claimed an excellent 5-35 led the way for Fordhouses with the ball and he completed a brilliant all-round display by making 63 from 112 balls from the top of their order. Rashid and opening partner Niall Cooper (46) added 79 in 19.1 overs but thereafter batting against Shafiq Ahmed (4-21) and Muhammad Fahim (3-29) proved a testing task.

As a result Fordhouses lost all 10 wickets for 67 and eventually suffered a 52-run defeat after being bowled out for 146 in the 43rd over.

Whitchurch had suffered a DLS-affected loss to Fordhouses the week before, while the same fate befell Fordhouses against Stourbridge, who posted on Facebook: “That tastes like promotion. Game Off. Eight points each.

“Great effort from the Handsworth CC ground staff to try and prepare a pitch. Unfortunately this week’s heavy rain has made things impossible.

“See you all in the Birmingham League.”