Beacon boost as Milford are downed with ease

Brothers Jake and Matt Cartwright claimed six wickets between them, while Mike Hartwell took 4-35 as last season’s Premier Division title challengers were dismissed for just 111.

Opener Sam Flavell then hit 53 as Beacon chased down the target inside 18 overs to win by eight wickets. A delighted Green said: “From our point of view it was a bit of an upset.

“Milford Hall look stronger on paper than last year while we lost a couple of players over the winter and weren’t quite sure how things would go. To win the way we did was a real confidence-booster.

On a day where batting proved tough across the league, Cannock were the only team to win batting first and pass 200 as they marked their return to the Premier Division with a thumping victory over Penkridge.

Sam Harris top scored with a patient 54 from 83 balls to anchor the home side’s innings while Andrew Le Feaver (34) and Ainsley Ndlovu (20) also made key contributions to their final total of 203.

That proved more than sufficient for victory as Ndlovu, the club’s Zimbabwean overseas signing, claimed 4-9 to rattle through the Penkridge middle order as the visitors were dismissed for 103 in fewer than 38 overs.

Hammerwich claimed one of the day’s narrower winning margins as they defeated Brewood by four wickets.

Former Warwickshire batsman Navdeep Poonia struck 50 from 51 balls after the visitors were put in first but only three others players reached double figures as Brewood were dismissed for just 158, John Jennings collecting team best figures of 4-36.

The chase was not without its drama despite Patrick Knott setting Hammerwich well on their way with a steady 57 from 73 balls. Brian Fisher (26) and Jennings (23) provided able support but the latter’s dismissal sparked a mini-collapse as the hosts fell from 132-3 to 139-6 before Andy Malkin (14 not out from 14 balls) saw them home.

Aside from Hammerwich, the joint-closest finish of the day came at Wombourne where the hosts battled hard against last season’s title challengers Tamworth before eventually going down by four wickets.

Zach Smith’s 80 was the league’s highest individual score of the day and helped the hosts reach 172 from 49 overs.

Tom Hudson then gave Wombourne the perfect start when he dismissed Callum Render with the second ball of Tamworth’s reply but Jason Jakeman, who arrived at the crease with his team 4-2, batted patiently to compile 53 from 94 balls and guide the visitors to within sight of the finish line before becoming the sixth and final wicket to fall.

Parminder Singh took 4-26 as visitors Fordhouses inflicted a heavy six-wicket defeat on Pelsall. After being asked to bat, openers Mark Pearse and Jake Lee put on 46 before the latter became one of three victims for Adam Peat.

Pelsall were eventually dismissed for just 112 with Fordhouses romping to the target inside 15 overs thanks in large part to Zimbabwean overseas ace Innocent Kaia thumping 49 from just 27 balls. Fellow opener Niall Cooper hit 30 from 28 balls in a knock which seemed pedestrian by comparison.

The best bowling figures across the Premier Division were claimed by Andy Bowyer, who took 5-21 in Wolverhampton seconds’ seven-wicket win at Whittington.

Martin Weston’s belligerent and unbeaten 42 from just 28 balls helped the hosts reach 144 but the total never looked like being enough, albeit Wolverhampton took their time to reach it, Vikul Lal scoring an unbeaten 35 from 87 balls before James Hammond (39 from 38 balls) provided the necessary acceleration.