Milford Hall edge past Hammerwich in thrilling top-of-the-table clash

The nail-biting victory saw them inflict a first defeat of the season on the visitors and replace them at the Premier Division summit.

Aaron Afford hit the winning runs after Milford skipper Jordan Bulpitt had been the ninth wicket to fall in the chase with the scores level.

Hammerwich had earlier recovered from 22-4 to post 190-9 from their 50 overs, thanks chiefly to a fifth-wicket stand of 114 between Imran Qadir (63) and Andy Malkin (58).

They were the only batters to pass 20 as the Milford bowlers impressed. Will Davis ripped through the visiting top order to finish with figures of 4-50, while Afford also took three wickets including that of Malkin to break the key partnership.

Milford lost wickets regularly in the chase and were wobbling at 101-6 when Bulpitt came to the crease.

His innings of 40 from 51, supported by the rest of the tail, proved pivotal and though he was bowled by Sajid Ahmadzai as he looked to hit the winning runs, Afford held his nerve to complete the job.

At the other end of the table, struggling Lichfield boosted their survival hopes with a thrilling win of their own at Wombourne.

Isaac Rowley’s brilliant display of seam bowling appeared to have set the visitors up for a comfortable victory when he claimed 6-35 to skittle the hosts for just 85.

But the chase proved a nerve-wracking affair as Lichfield lost five wickets for just eight runs to collapse from 66-2 to 74-7 as Ben Hudson (4-6) tore through the middle order.

Rowley was the eighth wicket to fall with three still required for victory but Robbie Stone (four not out) and Zayn Hussain (two not out) stayed composed to see their team over the line.

Lichfield’s win pulled them to within striking distance of Walsall, Pelsall and Wolverhampton seconds, who all suffered defeats.

Walsall were beaten by 105 runs by third-placed Fordhouses, who racked up 289-5 thanks to Saqib Akbar plundering 90 from just 49 balls, after Niall Cooper had earlier scored a far less explosive but still valuable 94.

Rajeev Kanji scored 66 in the chase but once he and skipper Hashim Iqbal (35) had departed, the visitors provided little resistance.

Wolverhampton found things equally tough at Beacon, where three wickets each for Josh Chesworth and Stephen Blews saw them bowled out for just 155.

Home skipper Dan Green then struck an unbeaten 76 to see his team, who sit fourth in the table, to the target with six wickets to spare.

Excellent bowling from Will Marsh and Amaan Hassan helped Penkridge cruise to victory at Pelsall.

Marsh claimed 5-44, with Hassan taking 4-19 as the hosts were bowled out for 152 despite opener Gurshan Singh’s defiant 52. 

Hassan then capped an impressive all-round performance with an unbeaten 51, while Mark Pearse finished 52 not out as Penkridge won by eight wickets with more than 20 overs to spare.

Cannock are still searching for their first win and at risk of being cut adrift at the bottom after a losing draw at Tamworth seconds.

Jamie Bye claimed four wickets to help restrict the hosts to 203-9 but the visitors could not get near the target, finishing on 138-8.