Wardens’ run ended after Dolly stars with bat & ball
KENILWORTH Wardens’ promising start to the Division One season was derailed by Worcestershire skipper Brett D’oliveira whose fine all-round contribution helped Ombersley to a comfortable six-wicket home win.
Wardens’ openers Jamie Harrison (39) and Henry Cullen (31) added 60 before excellent knocks from Pears youngster Reeve Evitts (59) and Pakistani pro Ali Zaryab (62) enabled the visitors to post 274 for nine from their 55 overs.
D’oliveira’s 17 tidy overs of legspin returned 4-65 for a home side that then lost two early wickets. However, opener Taylor Cornall’s halfcentury soon laid a base from which their fifth wicket pair went on to win the match with a superb unbroken 171-run partnership.
Home skipper Liam Gwynne made 71 not out from 86 balls but it was county captain D’oliveira whose brilliant unbeaten 72-ball 94 containing six boundaries and four sixes that took the game away from Wardens
and eased Ombersley to the finish line with more than four overs remaining.
The result leaves Wardens sixth in the table as they prepare to entertain Moseley this Saturday.
Fourth-placed Berkswell claimed 14 points from their winning draw at Barnt Green after a brilliant hundred from Neil Dexter dominated their innings. The former Middlesex star struck 12 fours and three sixes in his 143-ball 112 to steer Berkswell to 242 for seven.
Barnt Green’s Worcestershire opener Ed Pollock then threatened to take the game away from the visitors with a brilliant 107 but he received little support and with the pacy Josh Aspinall grabbing 4-34 the hosts settled for a draw at 202 for seven.
Berkswell face neighbours and league leaders Knowle & Dorridge at the Lant this weekend.
LEAMINGTON moved into the top half of the Division Two table through a consistent batting display which delivered a four-wicket win at Himley.
Hasan Ahmed’s unbeaten 88-ball 41 led the way for a Spa side in which all eight batters passed 16. As a result the visitors passed their 212 run target in the 53rd over, despite the best efforts of former Northamptonshire spinner Graeme White who claimed 4-63.
White had earlier rescued Himley from 109 for six by making a fluent 81-ball 79 containing ten fours and a six.
He added 91 with seventh-wicket partner James Lunn (24) after Dinuk De Silva (3-29) plus Jon Wigley and Pierce Ryan who shared four wickets did damage with the ball for Leamington.
The Spa men, in sixth spot, head to third-placed West Bromwich Dartmouth on Saturday.
Coventry & North Warwickshire are in fourth place in Division Two after a side depleted by the Sky Blues’ Wembley trip lost a high-scoring lastover thriller at Bridgnorth by three wickets.
Second XI opener Alex Johnson stepped up to make a fine 84 for the visitors who were well positioned at 262 for eight at the break.
The home side’s response was also anchored by an opener – in this case Sam Whitney, who carried his bat for an unbeaten 124.
Despite these heroics CNW were favourites until Whitney was joined by eighth-wicket partner Charlie Walker (40no) in a match-clinching 82-run alliance as Bridgnorth got home with three balls remaining. Harris Ajaz finished with 3-63.
Cov entertain Bridgnorth-based Worfield on Saturday.