Stratford steer to another win

Jun 3 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

FLAWLESS Stratford-upon-Avon continued their unbeaten start to the Division One season.

This time it was the turn of struggling Halesowen, who were sent crashing to a seven wicket defeat at the hands of the league leaders.

Paul Best (5 for 41) swept through the Halesowen order as the hosts finished their innings on 163 not out.

Paul Malkin (39 not out) then helped, steer Stratford to another 20 points while Halesowen remain in the bottom two.

Smethwick leapfrogged Old Hill and Wellington into second place following their 101-run crushing defeat of Dorridge.

Aqsad Ali (83) and Omar Ali (45) guided Smethwick to 238 for seven.

Abdul Hafeez had taken bowling figures of 4 for 64 for Dorridge but those figures were nothing compared to Smethwick’s Aniket Redkar who spun his way to 8 for 35 to bowl the hosts all out for 133.

Shifnal slipped further off the pace following their disappointing losing draw at West Bromwich Dartmouth, who clambered above their opponents in the league. WB Dartmouth reached 232 for seven, thanks to half-centuries by Ateeq Javed (56) and Priyesh Dhoolab (51) but Shifnal finished 50 short, with seven wickets down.

Berkswell secured a winning draw from their nail-biting encounter with Harborne, largely thanks to former Warwickshire stalwart Dominic Ostler.

Ostler (107 not out) guided Berkswell to 248 for six in a match that soon went right to the wire.

Harborne required just two runs for victory but lost their ninth wicket to Tom Milnes (3 for 46). Ostler (4 for 33) having earlier played his part.

Attock remain rooted to the foot of the table following their three wicket defeat to third-placed Old Hill.

The Moseley outfit reached 228 for seven but, having claimed bowling figures of 5 for 59, Worcestershire all-rounder Richard Jones hit an unbeaten 54 to see Old Hill to maximum points.

Elsewhere Wellington’s total of 221 for seven, including Gloucestershire’s Kadeer Ali’s 104, at Coventry & NW was only enough to salvage a winning draw as Tony Bristow (50) saw his the hosts to safety on 192 for five, at the close.