Leaders Smethwick bounce back with win over champions

Leaders Smethwick were beaten by nearest rivals Barnt Green last time out but responded with a strong home victory on Saturday to maintain their lead.

After losing openers Kadeer Ali and Muhammad Qamar Khan cheaply, important contributions from Roshan Venkataraman (63), Bilal Shafayat (53) and Gurinder Singh (48*) helped them to 232 all out.

Singh (3-41) and Tazeem Chaudry Ali (3-29) starred for Smethwick in reply, and despite Ateeq Javid’s 47 and 53 for Tom Lewis, visitors Berkswell, struggling down in ninth, fell 47 runs short.

Elsewhere in Premier One, Halesowen were comfortable home winners over Kidderminster and climbed above their visitors into sixth in the process.

Halesowen put Kidderminster into bat and dismissed them for 169 with Matt Pardoe’s 31 the best offering. The bowling of Edward Bragg did the business, with impressive figures of 5-44.

Bragg (33) then added useful assistance to the charge of skipper Alexei Kervezee unbeaten 59 as Halesowen completed a relatively comfortable win for the loss of five wickets. Meanwhile, in Premier Two, West Bromwich Dartmouth heaped further misery on struggling rivals Walsall with a victory at Gorway Road.

Exactly a ton from Mateen Khan backed up Om Bhosale’s 50 with Walsall’s innings ending 223 all out. Sajid Ahmadzai took four wickets for Dartmouth, with three for ex-Walsall man Tim Maxfield.

With a competitive target to chase, Dartmouth opener Bruce Thomason stroked 93 including 12 boundaries – also against his former side – as 50 from Maxfield had the visitors looking strong.

Ahmadzai’s late 18* saw his side over the line with 10 overs in hand for a welcome win. Walsall are left just a point above the bottom two relegation places.

Wolverhampton are 30 points clear at the summit following a narrow 41-run victory against Lichfield.

The league leaders posted 265-9 from their 55 overs chiefly thanks to Worcestershire batter Tom Fell’s 111.

Lichfield, in fourth, put in a competitive reply, with Rich Taylor-Tibbott (58) among the runs as well as late work by Brinder Phagura (34) and Joe Seager (31), but with Warrick Fynn (4-51) and Adam Finch (3-10) on form, the visitors fell short.

Mid-table Himley, meanwhile, went down on the road by 206 runs at Barnards Green.

Having elected to field, Himley were powerless as the hosts charged to 278-7 (James Lunn 4-75). Phil Harris (83) was Green’s chief scorer. Himley collapsed to just 72 all out with Lunn, batting at 10, offering a best of just 21 on a day to forget.