Cricket: Four wicket win for Bromsgrove

Jul 14 2010 by Mark Woodward, Birmingham Mail

BROMSGROVE showed their desire to end their long second-tier stint with a four-wicket win at Stratford to boost their promotion hopes.

Since the Birmingham League was reformed in 1998 the Worcestershire club have played at the same level other than one Premier League year last season.

And they enhanced their chances of an instant return to the top flight by bowling Stratford out for 201 and recovering from a slight wobble to knock off the runs.

Veteran Iain McLaren ignited Bromsgrove’s attack with three for 44.

In reply, the visitors looked to be struggling at 106 for six before Brett D’Oliveira came to the rescuse with an unbeaten 97 and Tom Friend added 25 not out.

Stratford’s top performers were Matt Corby, who hit 61, and Paul Best who claimed four for 55.

The win helped Bromsgrove close the gap on leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth to 19 points after the table-toppers failed to beat Leamington Spa.

Dartmouth secured a winning draw after posting 246 for six, with Warwickshire player Ateeq Javed making 81, before restricting Leamington to 186 for nine thanks to Tharindu Perera’s five for 50.

Old Hill also kept up the pressure on Dartmouth with a six-wicket success after easing past Dorridge’s total of 206 for nine.

Dan Wood (65 not out), Nitesh Patel (59) and Mike Hingley (47) were Old Hill’s biggest hitters to leave them third in the table.

There were also wins for fourth-placed Brockhampton, who breezed past Shifnal’s 306 for six with five wickets to spare, and Wombourne, in fifth, who enjoyed a seven-wicket victory at struggling Coventry & NW.

Like Coventry, bottom-of-the-table Halesowen are still waiting for their first win after a three-wicket defeat at home to Attock, despite former Sri Lankan Test player Malinda Warnapura hitting 64 on his debut.

Halesowen have just 64 points so far.