Fordhouses win Staffs Prem and play-offs await
Fordhouses will now take their place alongside Whitchurch, Stourbridge and Handsworth – the respective winners of the Shropshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire leagues – in the Birmingham League play-offs.
Their 158-run victory over Hammerwich was enough to confirm their place at the top of the South Staffordshire County League for 2024.
Batting first, Jem Stack’s side made 224-8 from 50 overs thanks to Saqib Akbar’s 94 from 91 balls. They then bowled Hammerwich out for 66 as Johar Ahmed claimed 5-49.
Milford Hall went into the day with slim hopes of pipping Fordhouses to the top spot, but they secured a second-placed finish with a nine-wicket win over Beacon.
They bowled out their hosts for 97 at the Bratch before knocking the total off in a mere 12 overs and five balls.
Wombourne ended third after they hammered Walsall by seven wickets.
They bowled their visitors out for 255 in the 48th over before a partnership of 146 between Todd Henderson and Nathan Howell guided them to victory.
Henderson ended 72 not out, while Howell made a superb unbeaten 100 off just 54 balls – he struck 12 fours and seven sixes in his innings.
Lichfield picked up a valuable six-wicket win at home to Cannock.
After winning the toss and fielding, they bowled the visitors out for 220 thanks to three wickets apiece from Umer Khalid and Robbie Stone.
A half-century from Rich Taylor-Tibbott (52) got them off to a good start during the chase, only for Rob Turner to come and finish the game off in style, smashing 39 off 20 balls.
The win ensures Lichfield finished third bottom so, despite a six-wicket victory at Penkridge, Tamworth Seconds finished in the bottom two.
They won the toss and elected to field bowling out their hosts for 211 in the 49th over and veteran Stuart Burrows guided them over the line in the chase making 54 not out from 42 balls.
His knock included eight fours and one six.
Aldridge finished as the division’s bottom side as they lost away at Pelsall by 68 runs.
Pelsall batted first making a competitive 220-9 from their 50 overs.
Ahsan Akbar made 48 while Raul Ram made 57 from 59 balls striking three fours and three sixes.
Matthew Wilkinson managed to pick up three wickets for the visitors.
The experienced Tom Boyd took 3-9 from his 10 overs and was well supported by fellow opening bowler Faizanullah Niazai who took 3-47 as they bowled Aldridge out for 152.
