Wolves hit the top – with Halesowen close behind
Wolverhampton went to the top of Birmingham & District Premier League Division One with a 68-run win over Kidderminster.
Overseas recruit Benjamin Horne was the star with the bat for the hosts, making 78 not out from 86 balls as his side were bowled out for 170 in the 45th over after being put in by the visitors.
Zeshan Bashir picked up 4-42 from his 10 overs but given conditions and the rain in recent across the UK over the last month runs on the board are an advantage.
And Kidderminster never got going in reply, only former Glamorgan all-rounder Graham Wagg put up any resistance with his 38 from 93 balls as they were skittled for 102 with Warrick Fynn and Zia Ul Haq Parwani both taking three wickets each.
Halesowen trail Wolverhampton by just nine points after they got the better of recently-promoted Barnards Green at home.
Worcestershire batter Rehaan Edavalath top-scored with a patient 66 for the visitors as they made 207-7 from their 50 overs – Ed Bragg had a good day with the ball for Halesowen, taking 3-34.
There was no stopping Alexei Kervezee in the reply. When the former Netherlands international is in good form he is hard to halt, as Barnards Green found out at the weekend.
His match-winning 86 off 87 balls, including nine fours and three sixes, helped Halesowen to get over the line having lost six wickets – Jack Mackintosh took three wickets for the visitors.
Smethwick got the better of Ombersley by 45 runs after posting a competitive 217-9 from their 50 overs. Amritpal Singh made an accomplished 90 from 100 balls to get them there.
His innings contained 10 fours and three sixes.
Gareth Andrew picked up 3-22 for Ombersley, but in response they fell short, eventually being dismissed for 172 all out in the 46th over.
Manraj Johal and Amjid Kayani both picked up three wickets apiece.
In Division Two, Lichfield went second after getting the better of Bridgnorth at Cricket Meadow.
Lichfield made a competitive 237-9 after they won the toss and elected to bat first in Shropshire.
Riley Ward, the Lichfield skipper, helped his side get up that competitive total by making a well-made 70 from 102 balls.
He was well supported by Tom Swift and Rich Taylor-Tibbott, who both fell short of half-centuries by a narrow margin.
It was the spinners who did the damage for the hosts, as Sam Baugh took 3-19 from his 10 overs and former Shropshire captain Sam Whitney took 3-62 from his allocation.
In response, David Laird made a half-century as they went about chasing down the total before falling 37 runs short.
Sam Whitney made 48 as they went close to a first win of the season but in the end, they fell to another defeat.
West Bromwich Dartmouth were due to travel to Bromsgrove, but their ground has not seen any cricket on it this summer and the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled. Bromsgrove are one place above the relegation zone at this early stage whereas Dartmouth are fourth.
The final game in Division Two saw Himley travel to Dorridge.
The sides waited until 4.30pm until it was abandoned as the Dorridge outfield was completely saturated after last week’s heavy rain showers.
Himley will go again next weekend when they travel to Dartmouth.