Fordhouses take honours in battle at top of Prem

Leaders Fordhouses won the toss and elected to field first, but the visitors made a fast start, getting to 105-2 in the 20th over.

But after such a promising start, they collapsed thanks to the excellent bowling of Lewis Peat. He bowled 14.1 overs, taking 5-26 as Fordhouses ran through Wombourne to bowl them out for 145.

Wombourne skipper Zac Smith top scored with 46 while Jimmy Howell made 30, but it was their dismissals that started the collapse.

The home side made light work of the chase, losing just four wickets as Saqib Akbar made a quicker-than-a-run-a-ball 56 not out to get his side over the line.

Milford Hall’s win against Walsall meant they went above Wombourne into second in the table.

A majestic century from Sahal Malvernkar (102) guided his side to 235 all out inside 43 overs, Niall McHale (64) also made a really important contribution.

Hashim Iqbal was the star for the fielding side taking 6 for 70 for Walsall who always looked up against it in reply.

They were 19-3 but half-centuries from former Milford captain Dan Betty (53) and overseas player William Mashinge (59) saw the pair put on a 100-run partnership only for them to slump to 143 all out.

Beacon picked up a 49-run victory at home to bottom-of-the-table Aldridge.

Roger Fildes made 84 as Beacon made 222 for 9 from their allocation of overs.

And despite Aldridge making a positive start and reaching 80 without loss they collapsed to 173 all out.

Stephen Blews took 3-50 while Beacon’s captain Dan Green took 3-13 from just four overs.

The home side are comfortably in mid-table and have a chance to close the gap on those above them in the coming weeks. That is partly because Lichfield clung on to a dramatic draw at home against Pelsall.

After the visitors batted first and made a competitive 253 for five largely thanks to Ahsan Akbar’s 126 from 132 balls. Jamie Holmes took 5-45 to reduce Lichfield to 199-9 but Pelsall were unable to get the final wicket they needed for maximum points. Cannock had a tough afternoon after being bowled out for 115 by Penkridge. William Marsh took 4-26 for the home side while Callum Morrell chipped in with three wickets for just three runs.

They knocked off the total with ease and ended up seven-wicket winners. And Tamworth seconds got a positive result against Hammerwich having bowled the visitors out for 141 after they elected to bat. They too ended up winners by a seven-wicket margin.