Beacon cruise puts them well on course for the title

The six-wicket win, coupled with Wombourne’s defeat at Fordhouses, means the boys from The Bratch now sit 25 points clear at the top of the Premier Division with just three matches left to play.

Dartmouth seconds, meanwhile, are consigned to relegation after suffering their 13th defeat of the season.

Matthew Cartwright dismissed both West Bromwich openers after the hosts had been put in, with brother Jake then taking four wickets to rattle through the middle order, before a 10th-wicket stand of 48 between Jude Malek (35) and Nathan Cartwright (14 not out) got the total up to 112.

That was never going to be enough to trouble the leaders, particularly after Roger Fildes and Max Lee had put on 61 for the first wicket. Lee would eventually top score with 47 as Beacon chased down the target in less than 16 overs.

Wombourne began the day within striking distance of top spot but ended it with their title hopes all but over after losing by eight wickets at Fordhouses.

Todd Henderson hit an unbeaten 89 as the visitors compiled 234-8 from their 50 overs but the innings of the day came from Michael Gallear, who struck 105 not out from just 101 balls as the hosts chased down the target with surprising comfort and more than three overs to spare.

Fordhouses moved up to third, 31 points off the summit, with Milford Hall now Beacon’s closest challengers six points further ahead.

Their 178-run win at Penkridge was as emphatic as the score suggests, skipper Dan Betty top scoring with 73 in a strong team batting display which also saw Ejaz Nawaz hit an unbeaten half-century and the visitors finish on 285-8. Chris Dean then took four wickets as the hosts were skittled for 107.

Yet the widest margin of victory this week belonged to Old Wulfrunians Tettenhall, who kept alive hopes of pulling off a Great Escape from relegation by thumping Pelsall by 192 runs.

Having chosen to bat, Old Wulfs reached 274-8 thanks to 81 from Charlie Mackelworth and then ran through their hosts with the ball. Mackelworth completed an excellent all-round display by running out Pelsall opener Jake Lee, while Mathusuthan Rabindranath took four wickets as the home side collapsed to 82 all out.

Old Wulfs have now won two in a row and sit 27 points behind Brewood, who went down by five wickets at home to Walsall. Skipper James Clark’s unbeaten 78 restored respectability to an innings which began disastrously with the hosts at one point 3-3 but a total of 168-6 from 50 overs never looked enough. Walsall, for whom Nico Van Zyl hit an unbeaten 41, got home with nearly five overs to spare.

Elsewhere, Scott Elstone’s second century in as many weeks was again in vain as Hammerwich lost by five wickets at home to Cannock.