Birmingham League: Khatri magic keeps champions Smethwick on course

Khatri’s brutal 152 from just 91 balls was his highest score of the season and ensured the defending champions were comfortable winners in a high-scoring affair with Barnards Green.

The 30-year-old reached his ton in just 70 balls after hitting five sixes and then plundered another three as he brought up his 150 just 19 balls later.

His hitting helped Smethwick reach 338-6 and if that wasn’t enough, Khatri then had Barnards Green opener Francis Moore trapped leg before with the second ball of the reply.

George Rhodes hit a classy 111 for the visitors but the run rate was always too steep as they fell 72 runs short.

Smethwick remain seven points clear of second-placed Knowle and Dorridge at the Division One summit but Halesowen’s title hopes were dealt a serious blow by a 44-run defeat at Harborne.

Impressive bowling up front from Ed Bragg and James Rudge had the home side, who had been put in to bat, in all kinds of trouble at 49-6.

But some lower order resistance proved decisive and though Harborne were eventually bowled out for what appeared a modest 166, it turned out to be sufficient.

Mike Bevan (4-17) and Andrew Sutton (3-37) scythed through the visiting top order and though Ciaran Baker-Smith and Masihullah Qazkhill put on 47 for the final wicket, it only served to reduce the margin of defeat as Hales were dismissed for 122.

At the other end of the table, Himley and Wolverhampton both remain in big trouble after defeats.

An excellent 91 from Himley opener Ollie Walker was not enough to save his team from a 54-run defeat at Ombersley.

Reece Evitts hit 108 and took three wickets for Wolverhampton but their 34-run defeat at Moseley could prove an important one come the end of the campaign.

In Division Two, Kidderminster pulled further clear of trouble thanks to an 88-run win at Coventry and North Warwickshire.

Harry Sockett’s 75 was key to the visitors reaching 216 and though the home side reached 87-1 in reply, the introduction of Dylan Griffiths and Dan Lategan into the attack proved the afternoon’s key moment.

Both claimed four wickets each as Coventry’s last nine fell for just 41 runs.

West Bromwich Dartmouth kept alive their slim promotion hopes with a five-wicket win at home to Worfield.

Aaron Patel was the pick of the bowlers as the visitors, having been asked to bat, were dismissed for just 202.

Former Warwickshire all-rounder Ateeq Javid then struck a brisk 61 from just 71 balls as the home side chased down the target with nine balls to spare.

Stourbridge are down to sixth in the table after losing at home to Dorridge, who compiled 283-6 thanks to a century from Nabeel Mahmood.

The hosts fell 47 runs short despite the best efforts of Dominic O’Reilly, who hit 51 from just 30 balls to provide some late hope.

Old Hill have cause to look a little nervously over their shoulders after losing a high-scoring contest at home to Handsworth.

Pakistani professional Saad Naseem smashed a mighty 122 off only 67 balls, while a century from skipper Hasan Ahmed (113) helped the hosts reach 342. But it wasn’t enough as the visitors chased it down with nine balls and two wickets to spare.