Dartmouth on course as they end Walsall hopes

The result kept the Sandwell Park outfit top of Group Two while ending Walsall’s hopes of qualification.

Former England seamer Kabir Ali was one of three Dartmouth bowlers to take three wickets as Walsall, having been put into bat, were bowled out for just 137. Shazeb Ali and Tom Brown also claimed a trio of victims each.

The home side’s replay began badly when Mohammed Talukder was dismissed for just one and Abraash Khan was then bowled first ball.

But Talukder’s fellow opener Omar Ali then proceeded to hit 95 from just 85 balls to take any heat out of the chase. Ali was eventually the fourth wicket to fall with the score on 122 as Dartmouth reached the target with more than 10 overs to spare.

Victory at Harborne this Saturday would virtually assure they finish top of the group, though a slip-up could still create a winner-takes-all showdown with Smethwick the following weekend.

The latter remain just four points behind after a thumping 110-run win at home to Harborne. Smethwick looked set for a tough day when, batting first, they slumped to 9-3. Hamza Ahmed led the rebuild with a patient 62 from 104 balls to help his team compile 183.

That proved more than enough as Harborne quickly found themselves in trouble. Openers Jimmy Clifford and Ben Langdell both failed to trouble the scorers and unlike Smethwick’s innings there was no-one able to rescue the situation.

Amaan Farooq and Naseer Ahmad claimed three wickets each as Harborne were bowled out for 73 in just 24.5 overs.

The other match in Group Two saw Himley claim their third win of the season with a four-wicket victory at Pelsall.

Matt Jeavons claimed four wickets for the visitors as Pelsall, having been put into bat, were bowled out for just 117.

Yet they looked well in the game when Himley, in reply, fell to 27-3. The difference between the teams ultimately proved to be Callum Lea’s patient 58 from 95 balls.

When he was the fifth wicket to fall, the visitors were in sight of victory and duly claimed it, getting home with more than two overs to spare. Halesowen and Kidderminster both saw their hopes of qualification from Group Four go up in smoke with heavy defeats to Barnt Green and Barnards Green respectively.

Opener Ryan Lockley (33) was the only batsman to pass 20 as Halesowen were bowled out for just 113 on route to a nine-wicket defeat to Barnt Green, for whom Darrel Williams took 5-27.

Kidderminster fared even worse as they were skittled for just 95 in 29.1 overs. Oliver Halion took four wickets for hosts Barnards Green, who chased down the target without losing a wicket.

Wolverhampton’s Group One match at Oswestry was postponed due to opposition players having been in contact with a player awaiting a coronavirus test result.