Stour starlets start with win

11:09am Thursday 1st May 2008

Stourbridge Cricket Club made a super start to the season with both the first and second teams winning their opening matches.

The firsts were away to Droitwhich Spa, traditionally a highly charged and competitive fixture.

Winning the toss, the home side chose to field hoping to get something out of a green looking pitch.

Hopes were not realised as Stourbridge opening pair Sam Cheshire and Richard Bradley took the score to 113 before the first wicket fell. Bradley was out for 57 showing considerable promise for the new season. The 16-year-old Sam Cheshire went on to make his maiden century.

Stourbridge scored 239 but it proved to be enough as the hosts were dismissed for just 120.

James Musk cleaned up the tail with four wickets.

The first team was led by Keith Jones who has been recalled to the first team to maximise the youthful talent at the club. His 40 years of experience to lead the side has been preferred to handing over the rains to a younger captain.

The seconds were home to Chaddesley Corbett who took the brunt of the club's new vigour in the field. Put in to bat, Stourbridge young stars Ryan Willetts (49), Nick Pearson (28), and Greg Jones (30) not out piled on the pressure backed by Zaman Malik who blasted 38. Stourbridge reached 209 in 40 overs.

The batting was fully supported by an accurate and menacing bowling attack which troubled all opposition batsmen. They could only reach 40 runs giving Stourbridge a quick and easy victory.

Club Chairman, Harilal Patel was delighted with how the opening weekend went.

He said: "This is a great start with our first and second teams ending up with 24 points off the opening matches.

"We are backing Keith Jones and our other captains to bring success in 2008 to go with the high hopes and terrific enthusiasm of the members and players."

Hagley slipped to an opening day defeat away at Birlingham in Division Three of the Crusader Worcestershire County League.

After winning the toss they elected to field and the visitors John Porter and Jack Baker bowled impressively early on.

But a 98 run partnership in tough conditions between Spares (75) and Keylock (46 not out) allowed Birlingham to reach 224-6 from their 50 overs. Hagley reached 22-0 before losing opener Jim Trinham and debutant Neil Hurst first ball.

A solid 54 from Tom Jordan offered some resistance but in truth it was a poor batting display from Hagley and they were bowled out for 144.

Captain Joe Lennon said: "I was very disappointed with the result against a newly promoted club and I hope for improvement next week especially from his top order."

The seconds entertained Bewdley and bowled first, restricting them to 197-3 from 50 overs with Paul Hunt particularly impressive. In an exciting finish Hagley scored the winning runs off the last over reaching 201-8 with Hunt finishing the job with a six. Earlier in the innings there was a solid knock from Andy Shaw who scored 57.

Captain Neil Allport said: "This was a great game which we deserved to win after our display in the field, and I am happy we are taking last year's form into this one."

Elsewhere in Division Three Enville firsts could only manage a losing draw against Kidderminster Victoria.

Enville won the toss and put KVCC into bat.

Tight bowling from Jamie Willis (1-19), Dan Such (1-36), Jimmy Smith (1-27) and Nick Gordon (2-35) put Enville in the ascendancy.

But dropped catches proved crucial as Kidderminster added 90 runs in the last nine overs to set a respectable 191 for 8. Enville's reply started poorly and even slower than that of KVCC.

The innings was given some impetus by Rob Miller (20) before Willis (25) teamed up with Smith (94) to put Enville in with a chance of victory and lined up an exciting finish. Smith played a stunning innings with a mix of hard hitting and deft shots.

However, once Smith and Willis was dismissed Enville had to settle for a draw falling nine runs short.

At Enville Hall the seconds made a solid start having been put into bat by Kidderminster Victoria. John Branch (42) and Mark Holloway (28) layed the foundations and Brendan Smith then played the anchor role as he made a useful 54 batting with an inexperienced middle order. The total of 185 proved to be far too many for Kidderminster Victoria. Early breakthroughs from Captain Paul Moran (1-26) and Kyle Lockley (3-31) were followed up by Alex Clift (2-20).

Pedmore first team's season was put on the back burner after their opening game of the season away at Malvern was washed out.

The seconds, however managed to play against their Malvern counterparts. On a warm sunny afternoon Malvern batted first and made 228-8 in their 50 overs. Pedmore could only manage 167 despite a hard fought 56 not out from Chris Lacey and 39 from Mark Rigby, as they slipped to a 57 run defeat.

This Saturday Pedmore host Coombs Wood (1.30pm start) and hope to hand debuts to Ian Chambers, Paul Lyman, South African Andre Marais and welcome back Matt Porter, Darren Freeman and Stuart Bate.

The seconds travel to Stourbridge.

Meanwhile, Himley Cricket Club have been dealt a huge hammer blow only days before the start of their Birmingham League Premier Division season after influential wicketkeeper Jagbhir Dhillon was ruled out for the entire campaign.

The experienced gloveman will be out of action for the season after going down with appendicitis last week.

There will be a big change in personel for the new season with Worcestershire contracted fast bowler Richard Jones, Stuart Lampitt and Shafiq Ahmed departing .

Replacing Jones as the Stourbridge Road's contracted county player is Liverpudlian speedster Chris Whelan.

Young Worcestershire Academy star Nitesh Patel has also being snapped up.

A further winter signing is old boy Dave Willis.

Himley will start the season this Saturday with an away game at Walmley (1pm start).

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