BEWDLEY beat local rivals Chaddesley Corbett by eight wickets, in their latest County League Division One clash.
Chaddesley won the toss and elected to bat, opener Simon Robinson hitting three sixes. However, Bewdley's bowlers and fielders soon began to take wickets, Mike Harris claiming two early on, then Simon Mauger wrecking the innings with three for no runs in his first five overs.
Jono Boult's spin also took three wickets as the home team slumped to 69-9.
Captain Ian Chambers (19no) and Paul Connolly (11) managed to add 26 for the last wicket before they were out in the 40th over.
Bewdley's much improved fielding saw them hold all their catches and claim two run outs.
Notable were Matt Boden's boundary catch and Andy Halkon's slip catch.
In reply Boult and Boden were both outscored by extras (23) before Simon Smith (30no) joined Mauger (25no) to hit off the runs with 35 overs to spare.
Bewdley took 24 points and left Chaddesley with none.
Bewdley second team captain David Jones's decision to ask the visitors to bat proved justified when his son, Ben, bowled Sam Boden for a duck, giving Bewdley just the start they wanted, and they went on to gain a seven-wicket victory over Chaddesley.
Russ Killigrew scored 78 for Chaddesley, and Mark Hingley 22, for a second-wicket partnership, but at 110-1 in the 32nd over, rash shots saw Killigrew caught and Hingley bowled. Dean Wilkes (5-20) and captain Jones wrought more havoc on the Chaddesley batting as they collapsed to 114-7.
Darren Roddis (24) scored nearly all the remaining runs before the visitors were dismissed for 139.
Matt Cowdrey scored 13 and captain Jones put on 28 before Cowdrey was stumped, then Gareth Lewis (28) helped Jones put on 68 for the next wicket before being caught off the persevering Tom Mole with 3-53.
When Andy Robinson joined up with his captain, a few more hearty blows saw the home team to a comfortable victory and 20 points, Chaddesley two.
Chaddesley Corbett 2nd 139, Bewdley 2nd 141-3.
Saturday fixtures: Bewdley v Alvechurch & Hopwood, Alvechurch & Hopwood v Bewdley 2nd , Badsey v Bewdley Cavaliers (all 1.30pm).
Sunday fixtures: Bewdley Six-a-side Competition (9.30am).
Stourport
SATURDAY'S Division Three match at Stourport, against top-of-the-table Lye, was reduced to 44 overs due to the weather, and the visitors won by six wickets.
The home side posted 162-9, with Bevn Neill making 73 and Ian Delo 33. The final score would have been higher but for a couple of crucial run-outs, and tight bowling by the visitors, H Raza claiming 4-53.
In reply Andy Platt struck with the first ball of Lye's innings, but despite a couple of dropped catches, the visitors comfortably reached the total required in the 35th over, I Lynch making 56 and J Perks 57.
A disputed umpiring decision towards the end denied Stourport another bowling point.
Stourport 162-9, Lye 163-4.
The second team fixture, at Lye, was called off, due to a waterlogged pitch.
Stourport has organised a six-a-side competition on Sunday, July 24.
Saturday fixtures: Stourbridge v Stourport, Stourport 2nd v Stourbridge 2nd (both 1.30pm starts).
KVCC
KVCC' county league firsts ended a run of poor results with a winning draw against Malvern in Division Two on Saturday.
Having lost a fourth successive toss Kidderminster were invited to bat on a wet wicket in a game reduced to 38 overs.
Home wickets soon tumbled and at one point Kidderminster were 45-5.
However an 80-run partnership between Matt Brace (56) and James Manley (34) helped Kidderminster reach a respectable 172-9 from 38 overs.
With rain threatening, Malvern went for quick runs in their reply but were thwarted by the pace of Dave Banister (2-72) and the experience of Ian Kimberlin (2-29).
Two run outs, and wickets from Steve Yarsley (1-17) and man-of-the-match Matt Brace (2-14) meant Malvern had to hang on for the draw at 139-9.
l IN Division Six, Kyle McAlister inspired KVCC county league thirds were forced to settle for a winning draw against stubborn opponents Vine.
Put into bat, Kidderminster got off to a good start with a 100 partnership for the second wicket between Andy Kimberlin 57 and Ian Sadler 63.
After 20 overs the run-rate had raced to six.
It was when the young Aussie McAlister came to the crease that the two bowling spinners wished they were somewhere else.
After receiving only 40 balls, McAlister had smashed his 100. Sixes and fours rained to all parts of the ground in what was a spectacular but calculated and measured knock.
With a total of 311 to chase, Vine were up against it from the start. Early wickets for McAllister and Danny Webb left Vine holding on for a losing draw after only 20 overs.
Webb, 3-29, and Andy Logan, 3-36, took KVCC to the brink of victory but Vine held on stubbornly to earn the draw.
Saturday fixtures: County League - Bromyard v KVCC, KVCC 2nds v Bromyard 2nds, Brintons v KVCC 3rds (all 1.30pm starts).
Sunday: Old Elizabethans v KVCC U-10s (10am).
Also at Chester Road: Tomorrow (Friday) - Worcestershire 2nd v Somerset 2nd (11am).
Sunday: County U-15 v Berkshire (11am).
Stone
HALLOW conceded the scheduled Division Five match with Stone, so Stone take 24 points.
Both Cookley v Netherton matches in Division Two were rained off, as were Cutnall Green Division Four matches against Birlingham, Chainwire's Division Five clash with Alvechurch, and Brintons v Droitwich in Division Six. Many matches were rained off on Saturday, with the teams taking five points each.
RESULTS
Division One first teams: Chaddesley Corbett 95, Bewdley 96-2.
Division One second teams: Chaddesley Corbett 139, Bewdley 141-3.
Division Two first teams: KVCC 172-9, Malvern 139-9; Cookley v Netherton - rained off.
Division Two second teams: Malvern v KVCC 2nds and Netherton v Cookley - rained off.
Division Three first teams: Stourport 162-9, Lye 163-4.
Division Three second teams: Lye v Stourport - rained off.
Division Four first teams: Cutnall Green v Birlingham - rained off.
Division Four second teams: Birlingham v Cutnall Green - rained off.
Division Five: Cleobury Mortimer 86, Highley 89-1; Hallow v Stone - Hallow conceded; Alvechurch v Chainwire - rained off.
Division Six: KVCC 311-5, Vine 196-8; Brintons v Droitwich - rained off.
Division Seven: Bewdley Cavaliers 215-1, Colwall 62; Chaddesley Corbett 39, Enville 40-2.
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