NEARLY two inches of torrential rain and hailstones in a freak one hour storm in the Leigh Sinton and Bransford area on Saturday washed out all weekend matches for Nomads apart from a visit to Colwall by the Sunday 1st XI.

Here play was only possible thanks to the hardworking Colwall volunteers who were up and about at 7.30am on Sunday morning in order to prepare the two grounds for play. Such is the spirit of amateur cricket which goes largely unrecognised.

Because of other cricket commitments both sides were below strength and consequently Mike Colquhoun the Colwall skipper asked Nomads to bat first on a good batting pitch at Ghost Meadow.

James Kelly and Barney Aktar set abour the opening attack of Damien Berry and Steve Hill with relish and reached 41 off the first six overs before Aktar was well caught off Berry's quicker ball.

Kelly had some good fortune with dropped catches but he reached 74 before being caught trying to accelerate the scoring rate which had dropped considerably following Aktar's dismissal.

Ed Davis batted steadily for 20 before being out in the same way as Kelly and it was then left to the father and son partnership of Bill and Malcolm Jones (16 and 23no) to score 40 runs in the last six overs and take the total to 200 for six wickets.

Colwall in reply were always struggling to reach the required run rate against some accurate Nomads bowling with Matt Hannant (2-22); Paul Ranscombe (1-28) and Gary Sandbrook (2-20) being the leading wicket takers.

Hill completed a good match for Colwall with 25 in addition to his two wickets and young Fowler with 19 also batted well.

However it was only Bennett with a hard hit 45 who looked likely to take Colwall to victory and Nomads finished an excellent game 42 runs ahead.

Nomads junior cricket held another fine week and some excellent performances were recorded; both by the young Nomads and their opponents.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Nomads 1st XI are due to host Chaddesley Corbett in the Worcestershire County League Division One (2pm) whilst the 2nd XI are away to Chaddesley Corbet 2nds. Nomads 3rd XI entertain Old Elizabethans 3rds in the Third XI Double Division.