CRICKET: WARWICK continued their impressive pre-season form with a comfortable nine-wicket win at home to Nether Whitacre on Saturday.
Home captain Michael Hope won the toss and inserted the opposition on a firm but green wicket at Hampton Road.
Opening bowlers Tom Austin (20-1) and Rajan Bhatti (8-1) put the visitors under pressure straight from the off as they bowled some tight lines early on, keeping the scoring rate down whilst continuing to take wickets at regular intervals.
When first change bowler Abisheck Sharma (1-18) had top-scorer Broughton (24) out caught in the slips to leave the score 55 for 3, Warwick really started to take a stranglehold on the game.
Some fantastic out-field catching from Warwick, Adam Southern in particular who caught three, allowed Jon Amor (4-16), Umair Mushtaq (2-6) and Hope (1-11) to mop up the tail and Nether Whitacre were eventually 103 all out off 34.5 overs.
Warwick only lost one wicket in reply as Steven Smith (28 not out) and James Sood (52 not out) amassed 107 for 1 in an unbroken 99-run partnership which rode Warwick to a comfortable nine wicket victory in the final friendly of the season before next week’s league opener at home to Highway Spartans.
