REDDITCH Entaco head to local rivals Feckenham on Saturday in great spirits having secured a third successive Worcestershire League Premier Division victory with a seven-wicket success over Stourport.
The Bromsgrove Road encounter was reduced to 38 overs per side due to overnight rain and home skipper Russell Southwick took advantage of winning the toss as Stourport suffered early on and never really recovered, with the visitors dismissed for just 121 inside 38 overs.
Talented teenager Hasnain Nawaz enjoyed season-best figures of 4-29, fellow spinner Haris Ali weighed in with 3-24 and quick bowler Waqas Ali took 2-28 as the Kingfishers took control.
In reply Redditch lost Olly Mason early on but solid knocks from Tom Field (23no), Chris Brown (24), Southwick (21) and a breezy unbeaten 34 from Rizwan Mohammed saw the hosts home inside 32 overs as they closed the gap on leaders Chaddesley Corbett to three points.
The 2nds continued their unbeaten run as they came away from Netherton with a losing draw.
The home side scored 227-6 off their 50 overs with Troy Lee leading the way with 68. All-rounder Steve du Cros was the pick of the Kingfishers bowling, taking 3-51.
In reply Redditch found runs hard to come by as the innings struggled to find any momentum and wickets tumbled but a fine 30 from Asif Mukhtar and some dogged resistance from Luke Davis (10no) saw Redditch finish on 133-8 for the losing draw.
Martley are the visitors to Bromsgrove Road on Saturday.
Both the 3rds and 4ths fixtures were washed out and skippers Tom Prescott and Adam Sharp will be looking to get their side’s seasons up and running tomorrow when Malvern visit the Entaco and the 4ths travel to Five Ways Old Edwardians.
On Sunday Redditch made it two wins from two as they beat Alvechurch by nine wickets. Alvechurch were bowled out for 162 in which James Beech scoring a magnificent 109. Perry Derrick took 4-32 and Mo Esham chipped in with 3-12.
Redditch started in positive fashion as captain Chris Brown and Harry Sharpe (31) put on 104 for the opening wicket. Brown went on to score a magnificent unbeaten 118 as Redditch took maximum points.
Redditch Entaco continued their excellent form with an entertaining midweek Knockout Cup win over Pershore by seven wickets.
Pershore posted 174/-6 off their 20 overs as Alex Clasen led the way with 64 and Liam Ridings chipped in with 43.
In reply Redditch started very well and simply got better and better as openers Olly Mason and Brown dominated. Brown was first to go for 41 off just 20 deliveries but Mason continued to show his excellent form and scored 72 as Redditch cruised to victory in just 16 overs.
ASTWOOD BANK stayed in touch with the leading sides in the division by securing their third win of the campaign as hosts Evesham were easily seen off by seven wickets.
The hosts were shot out for just 65 inside 37 overs as all of the Bank bowlers took wickets, notably Tom Harris with 4-20 off 10.2 overs and Michael Desmond with 2-10 off four.
Bank were reduced to 41-3 in reply but the outcome was never in doubt as Tom Underhill top-scored with 21 and Sam Thomas (16no) and Pete Alexander (13no) saw their side home with ease.
Bank face a key game this Saturday when they host table-topping Chaddesley Corbett at Sambourne Lane.
STUDLEY earned a losing draw at home to Leamington 2nds in Warwickshire League Division Two in a match reduced to 30 overs per side.
The visitors made 145-4 as Tom Warner top-scored with 51 with the wickets shared around the Studley attack.
In reply, Studley skipper Jack Williams again proved the key man for his side with an impressive 57 off 61 balls, but he received little support other than Brandon Miller’s 27 as the innings subsided from 102-3 to 125-8.
A trip to Nether Whitacre awaits Studley on Saturday.
