Worcestershire County League: Astwood Bank take top spot

In the Premier Division five teams recorded opening day victories. 
Astwood Bank occupy top spot after the beating Pershore at Sambourne Lane. Captain Tom Underhill (71) helped the Bank overhaul the visitors first innings total for the loss of just five wickets to gain a maximum-points win and top spot.

Meanwhile Ryan Derrick’s (6-23) second innings return ensured Stourport kept up with the pace as he helped the visitors dismiss Redditch cheaply in the second innings at Bromsgrove Road to record a maximum-points win after Noman Choudhry (6-31) had put the home side in with a decent chance at the halfway stage.  

Most recently promoted Bromyard who were Champions of Division One in 2019 got off to an excellent start in the top flight as Ian Bullock (81*) and George Bouston (50*) both compiled second innings half centuries to earn the visitors a win against Old Hill at Haden Hill.

Taylor Pugh (7-55) dismantled Bewdley in the first innings at Lower Park and Jamie Boyle (82*) and Joe Taylor (51) ensured there were no hiccups on the way to victory as the visitors cruised to a seven wicket win and Stourbridge also started their campaign with a win as Maverick Perry’s (51) second innings half century helped the visitors overhaul the Worcester first innings total (207-9) in which opening batsman Henry Lewis (94*) carried his bat. 

Finally, Colwall, who were promoted as Division One runners up in 2019 will be disappointed to finish with only a winning draw for their efforts against visiting Herefordshire rivals Brockhampton as they dominated the game at Stowe Lane from the get go only to find the visitors last wicket pair, numbers ten and eleven (Charlie Williams & Freddie Cross) form an ‘immovable obstruction’ as they clung on for dear life in the second innings to finish nine wickets down which earned the visitors the points for a losing draw after the fifty overs were completed.

In Division One two teams earned maximum-point wins on the opening day. Hagley top the table after Captain Michael Stead’s (7-50) second innings haul helped overcome visiting Coombs Wood whilst Jez Hanson (78) and Max Young (6-27) were the main protagonists for Droitwich Spa as they started their campaign with a maximum-points win at Hackman’s Gate Lane against Belbroughton.  

Other winners on day one were Feckenham who got off to a flying start with a comprehensive ten wicket win against visiting Burghill, Tillington & Weobley, Lye who comfortably chased down Ombersley 2nd XIs first innings total for the loss of just four wickets and Worcester Nomads who made the trip to Pedmore and walked away with a five wicket win.

In the only drawn match Matt Watts (67) helped Oldswinford compile a big first innings which resulted in a winning draw at Longmore against Chaddesley Corbett.

In Division Two Ben Dunn’s (7-44) helped Barnt Green 2nd XI bowl out Himley 2nd XI in the second innings at Cherry Hill Road to earn a maximum-points win after a solid batting performance spearheaded by Captain Hayden Froggatt (63) had earlier helped the home team to an excellent first innings total. 

Cookley ensured they started well as they took maximum points by taking the last three Bromsgrove 2nd XI second innings wickets for eight runs to narrowly win by two runs in a low scoring, tight affair at St. Godwalds Park.

Matt Branch (117) and Sam Tonks (70 not out) helped Enville start with a win against newly promoted Barnards Green 2nd XI after a sound second innings batting performance saw them chase down the Greens excellent first innings total and Halesowen 2nd XI beat Kidderminster 2nd XI to record what was the other maximum points win.

In the other matches in the division Bredon posted a seven wicket victory at home against Himbleton after dismissing the visitors cheaply in the first innings and Astwood Bank 2nd XI beat Netherton thanks to Jake Browning (81) who delivered a match winning performance in the second innings to help the visitors to a tight two wicket win at Highbridge Road. 

In Division Three, three teams gained maximum point wins on the opening day.

Chris Powell (143), Tom Skerrett (75) contributed well in the first innings and Max Porter’s (5-17) second innings haul ensured Brockhampton 2nd XI got off to the perfect start with a comprehensive win against visitors Avoncroft.

Henry Armstrong (124) and Josh Richardson (94) ensured Old Vigornians started with a bang as they eased past visiting Redditch 2nd XI at the Kings School and Worcester 2nd XI made the short trip to Rushwick and walked away with a comfortable first day win thanks to Rob Goodman’s (66*) undefeated first innings half century and Jabran Khalid (5-28) excellent second innings haul.

In the other matches in the division Mark James (130) helped promoted Alvechurch & Hopwood get off to an excellent start with a win at the Memorial Ground against Old Elizabethans 2nd XI, Old Hill 2nd XI made the long trip to Bartestree & Lugwardine and left with a win and James Ganderton (93) helped Martley post a challenging first innings total at the Jewry Field which eventually earned a winning draw for the home team in a high scoring game against visiting Harborne 3rd XI who, after Mark Whitsey (149) had posted an excellent second innings century fell just 8 runs short of victory, six wickets down when the second innings overs were completed.  

In Division Four, five out of six matches ended with teams securing maximum point wins. 
Tom Downing (72*) scored an unbeaten second innings half century for Bromsgrove 3rd XI to help secure a seven wicket victory against Eastnor.

Chaddesley Corbett 2nd XI bowled Pershore 2nd XI out cheaply to start their season with a comprehensive win.

Steven Yarsley (114) and Ryan Delo (72) were the mainstays for Stourport 3rd XI as they posted a first innings total that proved too many for Romsley & Hunnington who were bowled out cheaply in the second innings.

Jack Dudley’s (72) first innings half century helped Stourbridge 3rd XI get off to a flying start with a win against Lye 2nd XI and Asim Masood (95) and Arbaaz Mahmmood (52) made excellent contributions for Netherton 2nd XI started their season with a tight thirteen run win in a high scoring match against Coombs Wood 2nd XI for whom Abu Saeed (77) and Ghulam Abbas (52) scored half centuries in the second innings.

In the other match in the division Chris Curtis (60) defied the first innings bowling efforts of Tom O’Dell (5-83) to help Five Ways Old Edwardians to a score that proved just out of reach for Bewdley 2nd XI who finished eight runs short of victory at the Masshouse in a tight contest that saw the home team gain the winning draw.   

In Division Five, Harborne 4th XI occupy top spot following an eight wicket victory at home against visiting Malvern.

Halesowen 3rd XI are second after Callum James (109*) and M Hutchinson (108) both struck first innings centuries to help secure victory against Kempsey.

Colwall 2nd XI sit in third place after beating Hankey Castle & Upton at the Glebe, Claverley are fourth after beating Droitwich Spa 2nd XI in a high scoring match at St. Peter’s Field, Astwood Bank 3rd XI are fifth after they beat visiting Kidderminster 3rd XI at Hanbury and the other winner on the day was Worcester Nomads 2nd XI who sit in mid division thanks to a fine all round contribution from Derek Austin (4-45 & 74) which helped put pay to West Malvern at Whitegates Farm.

Performance of the day (which may be difficult to overhaul this season) must go to Barnt Green 3rd XI batsman Isaac Hewetson who struck the ball sensationally well to compile a brilliant double century (260) in the home team’s victory against visiting Pedmore 2nd XI at The Douglas Ground in Division Six.

What’s more Hewetson was dismissed with over 15 overs of the innings remaining. Historical records are currently being studied to find out if this is the highest individual score in the Worcestershire County League.

In other matches Old Vigornians 2nd XI won a tight game against Stourbridge 4th XI at Client by four wickets which sees them take second place, Will Yarnold (5-29) returned excellent first innings figures for Bromyard 2nd XI at Flaggoners Green to help put the skids under Hagley 2nd XI for whom only Maroof Khan (74) shown any real resistance, a win that moves them into third position.

Dave Cook (60) scored a first innings half century for fourth placed Stourport 3rd XI as they won away against Oldswinford & Stourbridge Social 2nd XI.

Ian Tonks (54) gave Enville 2nd XI the start they required at Alveley to move them into fifth spot and Himley 3rd XI sit in mid division after getting their season off to an excellent start after Oliver Baker (87), Luke Bradley (63*) and Dominic Taylor (59) all made excellent second innings contributions to gain the win against Belbroughton 2nd XI’s who had earlier set a challenging first innings total thanks to half centuries from visiting batsmen Andrew Mackenzie (82) and Steve Thomas (65).

Cleobury Mortimer secured top spot in Division Seven after beating Cookley 2nd XI by nine wickets.

Lucas Ingram (83) and Thomas Hope (56) helped Bromsgrove 4th XI into second place after their second innings contributions helped chase down a challenging first innings total set by Evesham thanks to first innings half centuries from Mohammed Uzair (63) and Umair Farooq (59).

Burghill, Tillington & Weobley lie in third after beating Feckenham by six runs in a high scoring game at Brick House Farm.

Other wins were secured by Cutnall Green who sit in fourth place after getting off to a positive start against visiting Bartestree & Lugwardine 2nd XI thanks to Zabair Hussain’s (4-18) in the first innings and opening batsman Paul Hutchins (71) in the second innings which earned a hard fought three wicket win.

Jack Park (5-29) was the hero for Ombersley 3rd XI when he took the bull by the horns to grab a second innings 5 for which changed the course of the match after Birlingham were in a good position in their pursuit of an average first innings total and Rushwick 2nd XI started their season brightly thanks to second innings half centuries from Richard Bull (81), John Ingles (61) and Callum Perkins (52) which helped them chase down Kidderminster 4th XI’s challenging first innings total at Chester Road.