HARRY Johnson’s unbeaten century was not enough to prevent Kenilworth Wardens from slumping to a seven-wicket defeat against Moseley in Birmingham & District Premier Division One.
The Wardens fired their way to a 253-6 total, but were ousted with 19 balls remaining thanks to the unbeaten Moseley duo of Jugdip Singh Nandra (49no) and Brinder Phagura (19no).
Ben Rex (23) and Jacob Bethell (51) laid on an opening partnership of 44 prior to the former being bowled by Brinder Phagura (3-62), with the bowler then trapping Nathan Edwards (0) lbw.
Bethell then helped lay on a third-wicket partnership of 91 before his dismissal alongside Johnson (108no), in a combination that established a foothold for the Wardens in the innings.
Number five Harry Butler (17) was gone at 185-4, but not before hitting 50 alongside the emphatic Johnson, who continued to pelt balls into the boundary.
Butler’s replacement, James Sykes (11) was then caught and bowled by Usman Awan as the Wardens run rate began to slow, with Richard Linfield (13) caught by Owais Akram from a Phagura delivery shortly after.
The visitors made a stunning start to their innings after the change of ends, with Bhavik Patel (29) and Asim Shoaib (88) smashing an opening stand of 89 before the former’s dismissal.
Kenilworth were unable to stunt the Griffs’ momentum, as Shoaib and number three Ben Griffin (61) added a second-wicket partnership of 85 to the total.
Shoaib was caught by Bethell from a Sykes (2-64) delivery, denying him from reaching a ton, but his batting partner Griffin continued to shine alongside Nandra to take the Griffs to 215-3.
Griffin was dismissed by Bethell in the 48th wicket, but he had done enough during his stint at the crease to allow Nandra and Phagura to steer Moseley to victory.
The Wardens remain stranded at the bottom of the league, but aim to kickstart the second-half of their campaign when visiting sixth-placed Shifnal on Saturday (noon).
