Cooke serves up victory as Cannock edge a nail-biter

Cannock pair John Cooke and Ainsley Ndlovu took four wickets apiece to bowl out Lichfield for just 95 from just 38.3 overs.

Despite the best efforts of Lichfield bowlers Umer Khalid and Robert Turner, who collected four and three wickets respectively, Cannock reached 99 runs by the 36th over to confirm victory.

However, it came down to last-wicket pair Dan Wood and Cooke to secure the victory after Cannock had been reduced to 47 for seven in their run chase.

Usmaan Iqpal’s 18 and a crucial 24 from number nine batter Dan Bowker steadied the ship but Cannock still needed eight to win when they were reduced to nine down.

But Cooke returned to centre stage, hitting 11 from 15 balls to secure victory and move Cannock out of the relegation zone.

Fordhouses retained top spot with a resounding 137-run victory at Hammerwich.

The league leaders were first to bat and Muhammad Imran’s impressive 110 runs from 122 balls helped Fordhouses rack up 223 runs.

Imran then capped a sensational performance by claiming five wickets as Fordhouses bowled their opponents out for just 86.

That result leaves Hammerwich in fourth place on 93 points after seven games played.

Second-place Pelsall kept the gap behind the summit to just 13 points with an 88-run triumph at neighbours Aldridge.

Ahsan Akbar totted up 75 runs for visitors Pelsall, while Tom Boyd (30), Raul Ram (27), Jamie Holmes (26) and Smit Metha (21) helped propel them to 227 runs all out.

Rory Wood attempted to mount a fightback with 38 runs for Aldridge but Holmes and Metha took four and three wickets respectively to bowl the hosts out for 139.

Wombourne remain locked on 115 points with Pelsall after narrowly edging to victory by one-wicket at Walsall.

Suwath Mendis took a staggering seven wickets as Walsall were stopped at 166 despite Rajeev Kanji (43) and William Mashinge (41) finding themselves in auspicious form on the bat.

Todd Henderson hit a 101-run century to propel Wombourne into pole position as they eventually clinched victory with 168 runs.

Elsewhere, Penkridge heaped further misery on rock bottom Tamworth 2nd XI to climb above Walsall into seventh with an eight-wicket victory.

George Baker amassed a respectable 49 runs on the bat for hosts Tamworth but was unable to prevent them from being bowled out for 161.

Penkridge responded in scintillating style as Mark Pearse (68) and Andy Jones (61) both passed 60 to send the visitors en route to a comfortable victory.

Tamworth were ultimately only able to take two wickets as Penkridge sealed the win with 165 runs inside 32 overs.

Finally, reigning champions Milford Hall claimed a winning draw against Beacon to move to within one point of their fifth-place opponents.

Jordan Bulpitt produced a roaring 107 runs, while Ibbadat Thaman also posted a creditable 62 runs. Oliver Green took three of Beacon’s seven wickets from 50 overs as Milford Hall finished with 245 runs.

Green (37) and Roger Fildes (32) contributed to Beacon’s final total of 192, with Will Davis and Aaron Afford taking four and three wickets respectively for Milford Hall.

As Milford Hall were unable to bowl Beacon out, the former took home 17 points, while the latter claimed seven points.