Wolves return to top flight with win

It was a wet weekend for cricket, and the majority of Birmingham League games were called off due to the heavy rain across the West Midlands on Friday afternoon.

But Wolverhampton took advantage of being one of the few sides to get a game on, beating Moseley.

After being put into bat by the home side they battled their way through to 177-6 off their 39 overs largely thanks to a patient 46 from 90 balls from Ramanjot Jaswal. There were also handy contributions from Warrick Fynn and Zia Ul Haq Parwani who both made 28.

And despite the hosts scoring quickly in response they lost wickets at regular intervals eventually being dismissed for 115 in 30.1 overs.

The wickets were shared around – Sam Ellis picked up two on debut as did Charles Jackson. Reliable left-arm spinner Fynn also picked up a couple of wickets to give Wolverhampton a headstart on the rest of the league.

Himley, West Bromwich Dartmouth, Kidderminster and Lichfield all saw their games fall foul to the weather.

Clubs fared better in the South Staffordshire County League though with four games beating the wet conditions.

Beacon got off to a winning start at home against Old Wulfrunians.

The hosts were bowled out for 154 after being asked to bat first. Mike Brookes made 41 off more than 100 balls.

But in reply, the visitors never got going with only two players making it to double figures.

Off-spinner Jake Cartwright was the chief destroyer for the hosts, taking 5-23, as Old Wulfrunians ended up being 88 all out.

Overseas player Joshua Chesworth also picked three wickets for Beacon, who look like a strong side ahead of this campaign with a bowling attack capable of bowling any side out. Elsewhere, Brewood got off to a winning start after they successfully chased down 231 at Hammerwich.

The hosts looked to have gotten too many in the first innings thanks to Scott Elstone’s 81, but Josh Skyte’s match-winning 96 guided Brewood to victory.

Wombourne got off to a winning start putting visitors Walsall, who have recently been relegated from the Birmingham League, to the sword in a reduced-overs game.

The hosts batted first on a wet wicket and looked in real strife at 71-7. But Ollie Siviter’s 44 off 23 balls including two fours and four sixes enabled Wombourne to get up to 130 – a total that proved to be just too much for the visitors.

Only Rafay Ahmed supplied any resistance to the Wombourne bowlers with his 49 off 42 balls.

New signing Todd Henderson picked up 5-23 on his debut.

Milford Hall got off to a winning start. They bowled out Fordhouses for 154.

Ibbadat Thaman starred with the bat, making an unbeaten 51.