CRICKET: WARWICK earned a morale boosting win against Massey Ferguson on Saturday to further extend their lead at the top of the Warwickshire Cricket League Division Five.
Matthew Warren’s side are now 50 points clear at the top of the league following their latest win, and the club already has promotion on their mind to the fourth tier of the county’s cricket league.
With the aim of taking revenge after being defeated by Massey Ferguson in May, Warwick lost the toss and were put into field on a hot and humid day.
Rajan Bhatti opened the attack with Adam Southorn who took the spot of seam bowler Josh Osborne who was enjoying a week off.
Southorn picked the early breakthrough of the dangerous Karan Sharma while Bhatti took Massey’s second wicket before ten overs had been bowled.
Rudnicki and Ashu Sharma followed in the footsteps of the opening duo to keep the wicket total on the scoreboard ticking over.
However a solid mid-innings partnership helped Massey Ferguson reach an above average score of 241/9.
Requiring 242 to win, Warwick made a solid start with openers Graeme Burke and Aide Passey.
When Burke fell for 12, the in form James Sood came to the crease knowing big runs were needed.
Masseys economical bowling led Sood to play a poor cover drive on the up though as he was removed for 14, leaving Warwick in a dire position.
Matt Warren regained some much needed form with a classy 69, though when he was run out in the 33rd over Warwick still needed to dig deep to reach their target.
This brought the highly rated youngster Umair Mushtaq to the crease.
Mushtaq was under pressure to live up to the expectations which had surrounded him ever since his introduction into the 1st XI.
He batted well with Aide Passey who rolled back the years and looked in good nick.
The partnership of Passey and Umair Mushtaq put Warwick in a commanding position after Mushtaq struck a huge six which cleared the pylon cables.
Massey were handed a possible way back into the game when Passey was stumped for 46, leaving Mushtaq the role of trying to drag Warwick over the finish line with all-rounder Rajan Bhatti.
The pair hit the 45 runs needed with seven overs to spare to ensure Warwick picked up all 24 points on offer.
2ND XI
A MUCH changed Warwick 2nds kept up the pressure on the Warwickshire Division Nine East leaders with a solid all-round performance against improving Atherstone at Hampton Road.
With eight changes enforced from last week’s win at Nuneaton, skipper Steve Webb won the toss and chose to bowl on good looking mid-season track.
Lee Skrypchuk got Warwick off to the perfect start by having Sadaq expertly caught by Paul Colman at gulley in the first over.
Keeper Simon McLellan then caught Cameron off the bowling of Tom Hitchenor and Rae off Steve Webb.
When Hitchenor had Worsworth caught by Callum Webb and caught Burrows off his own bowling, Atherstone were in trouble at 53/5.
Adders’ skipper Sworowski began launch some big shots into the leg side and added 44 with Birch but when Paul Coleman trapped Birch lbw, Sworowski found himself managing the tail.
Atherstone were eventually dismissed for 148 in the 41st over.
Warwick opener Ben Rhodes looked in fine touch as he raced to 21.
But when he was trapped lbw by Rae in the seventh over, he was quickly followed by Naresh Airody and Callum Webb which put Warwick in trouble at 32/3.
The reliable Jon Davis was joined by Simon McLellan as the pair both found the lightning-fast outfield to their liking.
Warwick recovered to reach 116 by the fall of their next wicket before Davis and Colman wasted no time in hitting the winning runs.
