Streetly take a grip of title race
Streetly’s comprehensive six-wicket win over second-placed Astwood Bank has established them as firm favourites to take the Birmingham & District League Division Three title – and one more win from their final three games should be sufficient to earn them promotion.
Tidy bowling by Streetly’s Sagar Mangalorkar (4-23) saw Astwood Bank restricted to 158-9, before an unbeaten 101 from 105 balls from Neil Curtis took Streetly closer to the title.
Milford Hall and Stourbridge require one more win to ensure safety but it was Milford who came out on top when the two teams met at Amblecote.
Stourbridge skipper Josh Banks hit 78 not out and Alex Bingham scored 47 to see their side to 183-6, with Stuart Phazey taking 3-24 for Milford.
Opening batsman Phazey began Milford’s reply with 44 and, despite the efforts of Dominic O’Reilly (3-32), the Staffordshire side ran out winners by three wickets.
There were, however, defeats for Brewood and Lichfield.
In Division Two, Penkridge’s shock victory over leaders Oswestry – thanks in part to Matthew Jenkinson’s 6-28 – allowed a host of clubs to close the gap at the top.
Halesowen (Ed Kilbee 100 & Eddie Rhodes 4-32), Fordhouses (Tendai Chisoro 61) and Cannock & Rugeley Hawks were three of those clubs, with victories over Wombourne (Karl Quiney 58), Old Hill (Duncan Willetts 70) and Old Elizabethans, respectively.
