Fifth-wicket pair turn on the power to fire Alrewas to a thrilling victory
A MAGNIFICENT unbeaten century from Gareth Woolley was the highlight of a thrilling run chase by Alrewas at Quarndon.
With 11 overs to go, Alrewas still needed 99 to overhaul the home side’s 244 all out but Ben Foley kick-started the chase when he hit 12 off Umayr Iqbal’s final over and, from that point, Quarndon had no answer to the onslaught.
Alrewas reached the target with six wickets and 10 balls to spare. Woolley finished 104 not out with two sixes and 12 fours, while Foley’s unbeaten 63 came off 41 balls with three sixes and six fours.
Quarndon skipper Jonny Acton, having won the toss, put on 68 for the first wicket with Charlie Storr before Matt Frend made the breakthrough, having Storr caught behind by Will Parkinson for 24.
Frend followed up by trapping Harry Clamp lbw for 10 but Michael Lidsey looked in good touch on his way to 27 before he was run out by a direct hit from extra cover by Woolley.
Will Richardson was superbly caught down the leg side by Parkinson off Will Smedley first ball and Alrewas looked to have Quarndon in trouble at 144-4.
That brought James Cholerton to the crease and he struck 57 off 32 balls, including five sixes and four fours, before Sam Yabsley forced a mishit and Woolley took a fine catch in the deep.
Acton’s innings of 66 came to an end when he was pinned lbw by Ollie Broadway to become the first of the left-arm spinner’s five wickets, the 15th time he has achieved that feat for Alrewas.
Quarndon were dismissed for 244 with one ball remaining.
James Burton and Woolley got the Alrewas reply off to a good start with a stand of 65 before Burton was leg before to off-spinner Iqbal and Josh Lowe took the wickets of Josh Jones and Smedley as Alrewas began to fall behind the rate.
Stephen Cole tried to accelerate but perished when he mishit a pull off Owen Hughes straight to Acton at midwicket but Woolley and Foley took over to win the match.