Fordhouses and Milford maintain duel for the title

On home soil, Fordhouses amassed 264 runs courtesy of Mubeen Rashid’s 57 and 54 runs apiece from both Muhameed Imran and Niall Cooper.

Walsall mounted a response with Hashim Iqbal high-scoring with 63 and William Mashinge chipping in with 45 but the visitors fell short with 229 runs.

Reigning champions Milford Hall sit just 14 points adrift in the title race after comprehensively beating rock-bottom Aldridge by 166 runs.

Dominic Afford hit an impressive 106 runs and Jordan Bulpitt also produced a 57-ball 83 as Milford Hall totted up a commanding 322 runs. Aldridge were then bowled all out for 156, with Aaron Afford taking five wickets for Milford Hall.

Wombourne remain third after defeating Tamworth 2nd’s by six wickets.

Tamworth were bowled out for 195 as Ben Hudson took five wickets for Wombourne. Todd Henderson smashed 74 runs, before Zachary Smith and Jimmy Howell chipped in with 30 each to help Wombourne reach a match-winning 197 runs – conceding just four wickets in the process.

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Beacon beat third-bottom Lichfield by seven wickets. Lichfield were bowled all out for 145 inside 42.5 overs, before Beacon breezed to victory on the bat with James Fildes racking up 71 runs to help them reach a decisive 148 runs, conceding just three wickets.

Sixth-place Pelsall closed the gap to three points behind Penkridge in fifth after beating them away from home by 65 runs.

Raul Ram racked up 68 and Ahsan Akbar hit 53 before Pelsall were bowled all out for 218 runs.

Ross Parker high-scored for Penkridge with 60 but was unable to prevent them from being bowled all out for 153 inside 31.5 overs.

Cannock won the on the road by 36 runs against Hammerwich.

Varun Bali hit 69 runs for Cannock as they were bowled out for 259 but the visitors emerged victorious after bowling out Hammerwich for 223 in 46.4 overs.