Double delight keeps Quatt in title contention

A 53-run triumph against Whitchurch on Saturday was followed by a 162-run success over Newport on Monday to leave Quatt 29 points behind leaders Wem and six adrift of second-placed Worfield, who they face on the final day of the season.

James Ralph made 58 and Kishawn Richardson 38 out of Quatt’s 207 in the clash with Whitchurch. Daniel Bowen (4-36) and Matthew Bakin (3-31) shone with the ball.

Jonathan Edwards then led Quatt’s victory charge with 5-32 as the visitors fell for 154.

On Monday, Scott Furber (60), Ryan Wheldon (51) and Alex Biddle (36) helped Quatt to 213 against Newport despite the best efforts of Shabbir Khan (6-53) and Nick Watkins (4-60).

Quatt’s bowlers then hit their straps to roll Newport out for just 51. Ralph ended with remarkable figures of 4-2 while Craig Jones took 3-29 and Wheldon 2-6.

The Quatt defeat completed a miserable Bank Holiday for Newport after they had lost to St Georges on Saturday.

Ben Donald top-scored with 45 as Newport were bowled out for 176 in the 49th over. Azaad Raiq was the pick of the St Georges attack with 4-67.

Ben Miller then led the charge to victory with an unbeaten 70, with support from Gareth Hughes (37) and Chris Miller (30).

That victory boosted St Georges’ survival hopes, but they couldn’t follow it up with another success on Monday as they went down by 143 runs at Madeley.

The hosts posted 267-7 with Andrew Lloyd scoring 82 not out and Stephen Pugh 41.

That total proved well beyond St Georges, who succumbed for 124 in reply. Jamie Griffiths (47 not out) and Ben Miller (30) were the only batsmen to offer any resistance as Trevor Garwe, Gavin Jones and Liam Buttery all bagged three wickets each.

The weekend results leave St Georges four points above second-from-bottom Bomere Heath, who tasted defeat in both of their outings.

They came out on the wrong side of a low-scoring affair at home to Sentinel on Saturday.

Connor Green returned impressive figures of 4-18 to help dismiss the visitors for 137. Joe Yapp (58) and Marc Lovelock (20) were the only Sentinel batters to reach double figures. But George Cheshire (6-29) then ripped through Bomere’s line-up as they were dismissed for 129.

And the Bomere batters fared even worse against Ludlow on Monday when they were rolled over for 55, with Alfie Hollihead (6-24) and Louis Watkins (4-30) doing the damage.

Ludlow had earlier scored 203-8, with James Kinder making 60. Tom Ellis took 5-50.

That victory added to Ludlow’s success over Madeley.

Sam Roberts (50) and Luke Miles were in the runs as Ludlow made 175.

Miles then completed a fine display with 5-16 as Madeley were bowled out for 98.