Dorridge spike table-toppers Smethwick

Aug 19 2009 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail

TABLE-TOPPING Smethwick had their bid to extend their lead thwarted by determined Dorridge at the weekend.

Smethwick looked on course for victory away from home after Faisal Shahid (107) and Worcestershire star Moeen Ali (82) smashed their side to 304 for eight.

But Dorridge turned out to be no pushovers and stood firm on 244 for eight after Kasir Shah (62) and Jonathan Webb (55) led the hosts’ resistance with the bat.

Wellington sit hot on Smethwick’s heels in second after convincingly and expectedly seeing off bottom club Coventry & NW by nine wickets. Australian Sean Clingeleffer (65 not out) guided his side to victory after Coventry had been bowled out for 139.

Old Hill, in third, recovered from their promotion-denting defeat to Wellington last week with a four-wicket victory over a previously in-form Attock. Nathan Round (four for seven) and Nigel Davenport (four for 30) tore through the Attock order to end their innings on 102, a total that posed no real challenge for Old Hill.

Stratford-upon-Avon’s promising early-season form has disappeared after they fell to a five-wicket defeat to mid-table Halesowen.

Seamers Phil Croft (five for 24) and Imran Ali (four for 28) helped former league leaders Stratford crumble to a miserable 87 all out.

Harborne gave themselves a massive fighting chance of survival and heightened fellow strugglers Berkswell’s relegation concerns in the process.

Jonathan Cockcroft, Kieron Iyer and Rajiv Sen all claimed three wickets apiece for Harborne, who dismissed their opponents for 171.

Elsewhere, mid-table pair West Bromwich Dartmouth and Shifnal battled out a bore draw.

Hosts Shifnal hit 211, thanks to Chris Murrall (52) and Luke Wells (43).

But Dartmouth then clung on at 170 for nine thanks in no small part to the efforts of No.10 batsman Mannan Nawaz (17), who resisted for 77 balls.

Jimmy Neesham had earlier top-scored with 67 for Dartmouth.