WARWICK got back to winning ways in Warwickshire League Division Four with a comprehensive nine-wicket win away at fellow title contenders Attock Thirds.
After Warwick lost the toss and were put into field, Attock came out with a positive approach as Anas Saleem came out with an attacking intent.
However, Warwick captain Rajan Bhatti (2-33) got the first breakthrough as he had Saleem caught behind for 17, who was soon followed by Shakir Mahmood (9) when he inside edged one onto his stumps.
It was the introduction of Richard Rudnicki and Anil Lohan who changed the game as the experienced pair put the squeeze on the Attock innings whilst picking up wickets at crucial stages.
Leg spinner Anil Lohan had Attock captain Omer Awan LBW for 12 before medium pacer Rudnicki had opener Imaad Mahmood caught and bowled.
He then trapped Qaiser Javed for 14 to leave Attock reeling at 87-5.
Anil Lohan then clean bowled Saif Mehmood and Ahmed Nisar fell soon after, either side of Rudnicki (3-22) having Fareed Mohammed caught at gully by Passey to leave Attock 89-8.
Some late hitting from Haaris Khan (17) saw Attock to a below par total of 124 from 36.4 overs as leg spinner Lohan finished with a superb season best of 5-23.
Openers Graeme Burke and Adrian Passey set out before tea to make sure there were no panic along the way and the pair made sure of this as the former punished the loose deliveries.
Burke hit a brilliant 73 off just 76 balls which included nine fours and three sixes before he was dismissed by Mohammed (1-15) with just four runs needed to win.
The unbeaten Passey made sure only one wicket was lost as he finished on a patient 28 not out.
Warwick reached 125-1 inside 24 overs to take maximum points.
The Seconds defeated Division Eight East leaders Nether Whitacre by six wickets to bring an end to their miserable run of four straight defeats.
Nether Whitacre won the toss and chose to bat first on a flat, parched track at Hampton Road.
Warwick bowled well throughout, especially seamer Josh Osborne (3-29) and spinner Joe Evans (3-24) as the hosts restricted Nether Whitacre to 143-9 from their 45 overs.
The only notable contribution came from Ian Breeze (40) as the visitors’ innings never truly got going.
The hosts reply started poorly as they lost Naresh Airody (0) and Raj Kumar (1) early on to some accurate seam bowling.
Skipper Michael Hope joined Reddy Konda in the middle with the score at 2-2.
They batted patiently to take the score past 50 before Konda (29) was adjudged LBW.
Jon Davis joined Hope and the pair continued to bat diligently to take Warwick past the 100 mark before Hope (40) was out caught in the 30th over.
However, Vishal Sharma (25 not out) and Jon Davis (25no) worked well in partnership to knock off the required runs as Warwick reached 148-4 in the 41st over.
Meanwhile, the Thirds claimed a narrow nine-run victory over Alcester & Ragley Seconds in Cotswold Hills League Division Fiver.
Warwick won the toss and batted on a hard but green track and found themselves in a bit of trouble at 49-3.
An 86-run stand for the fourth wicket between George Charczan (36) and Ben Rhodes (69) steadied the ship before Tom Spencer (28) and Prashantha Panja Narasimha (23) accelerated the run rate.
The innings closed on 228-7 from 45 overs.
Paul Cooke (3-31) and Michael Bennett (3-51) were pick of the bowlers for A&R.
A&R got off to a great start as father and son Mark and Jake Woolley put on 96 for the first wicket.
Jake fell first for 42 to a marvellous diving catch at short fine leg by Paul Shawcross, one of a number of brilliant stops by the fielder on the day.
Shortly after spinner Ash Spall claimed two wickets in as many balls as he claimed Mark Woolley for 35 and Mark Hewston charged down the wicket to his very first delivery to be stumped by Owen Griffiths.
A&R were now 107-3 and the economical middle overs bowling from Steve Webb (1-28), Ash Spall (2-24) and Tom Spencer (0-28) ensured the required run rate was creeping up.
The big hitting of Paul Cooke (73no) did a good job of trying to keep it under control, but 28 runs were needed for victory at the start of the last over.
Despite hitting three sixes, Warwick managed to hold on for victory as Alcester and Ragley finished 9 runs short on 219-4.
