Cricket
Crucial victory for Studley

BRANDON MILLER and Te Ahu Davis were the key men for Studley as they claimed an exciting 15-run victory at home to Bridgnorth in Birmingham League Division Three on Saturday.

The maximum 24-point win gives the Washford Fields outfit a fighting chance of escaping the bottom four as they prepare for the final seven matches of the season, which begin with a trip to promotion-chasing Penkridge tomorrow before vital home matches against current bottom two Lichfield and Coleshill.

Saturday's success was only Studley's second league win of the season but it was enough to lift them off the bottom and they are only 30 points behind seventh placed Penn now.

Things did not begin well for Studley after being put into bat as they lost their openers cheaply but Miller came to the rescue with a crucial unbeaten 96 and he received what would prove to be vital support at the end of the innings from Chris Perrins (16no) as the hosts made 171-7 off their 53 overs.

There was some early success with the ball for Studley as Bridgnorth began their reply but things looked to be drifting away as middle order batsmen Jonathan Whitney (42) and Nicholas Gray (32) steadied the ship.

However, Davis cleaned up Whitney and Johar Ahmed had Gray caught by Perrins and the match was back in the balance.

The rest of the Bridgnorth batting order had no answer to Davis (5-43) and Johar Ahmed (3-36) and in total seven batsmen were clean bowled as the Shropshire side subsided to 156 all out in 44 overs.

ALVECHURCH were involved in a thrilling tied match against visitors Enville in Worcestershire League Division Two.

The hosts made 175-9 from their 40 overs in a rain-reduced match thanks to opener James Lavender (36) and middle order batsmen Martin Curtice (52) and Luis Lea (35).

Enville's Leigh Passmore took a career best 5-45.

Some solid contributions all the way down the order seemed to have set Enville up for victory as they reached 174-5 but, with balls remaining an issue, the visitors lost three wickets for the addition of just one run as Greg Tomkins was run out by James Spavin, Jonathan Howells suffered the same fate through Mike Gilmour and James Willis was stumped by Matt Hayward off the bowling of Curtice with the final ball of the innings.

It was very much a case of 13 points won for Alvechurch, who are eighth and 30 points above the bottom two heading into tomorrow's visit to mid-table Stourport.

FECKENHAM'S relegation fears were increased by a six-wicket loss at home to leaders Burghill & Tillington and they sit just one place and eight points above the drop zone as they prepare to visit ninth placed Enville tomorrow.

Only three home batsmen made double figures - with number ten Nick Reddish top scoring with 19 - as Feckenham were dismissed for 85 in the 25th over thanks to fine bowling from Byron Newton (6-22).

Yasir Mehmood took 2-33 off ten overs for Feckenham in the visitors' reply but the damage had been done and Burghill reached 86-4 off 23 overs.

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