Fordhouse put heat on leaders
Fordhouses’ 82-run win over Penkridge moved them within three points of leaders Oswestry in the race to gain promotion from Birmingham & District League Division Two.
While Oswestry finished 17 runs short of victory against third-placed Cannock & Rugeley Hawks, Fordhouses were sending Staffordshire rivals Penkridge into the relegation zone. Tendai Chisoro top-scored with 59 in a Fordhouses total of 190 with Arslan Shahid taking 4-58 for their neighbours.
Opening batsman Mohammed Ishtiaq clubbed 64 in 88 balls for Penkridge but his fellow batsmen were unable to cope with the potent Fordhouses attack, led by David Powles (4-14).
In a high-scoring match at Morda Road, Kabir Ali (118) and Saqib Akbar (54) boosted Hawks to 277 all out against the league leaders, but they fell one wicket short of a shock win.
Halesowen eased past Coventry & NW. by eight wickets after Dylan Ross-Watt (5-38) and Eddie Rhodes (4-47) saw the visitors off for 97, while Jared Daniels hit 123 in Old Hill’s win over Sutton Coldfield and Wombourne drew with Pershore.
In Divison Three, James Wilkinson took five wickets as second-placed Lichfield thrashed Brewood.
There was victory for Milford Hall, while Streetly overcame Stourbridge by four wickets.
