A LOWER order collapse saw Kenilworth Cricket Club’s first team suffer a 33-run defeat away at Coventry and North Warwickshire on the hottest day of the year.
Coventry made a solid start with the bat before Kenilworth eventually bowled their opponents out for 229 with Connor Shingler (3-34) the pick of the bowlers.
However, Henry Curran (70) and Stuart Cope (30) produced good scores in vain as Kenilworth’s last five batters failed to reach double figures with the visitors all out for 196 in reply.
The result means Kenilworth sit fourth in the Warwickshire County League Division Two table.
Coventry won the toss and elected to bat as opener Ibrahim Afzal (68) top scored and was supported by Mathew Nobes (25) and Akshaykumar Patel (28).
And mid-order batters David Allen (30) and Ashvir Pandher (33) helped Coventry to 229 all out as Darius Potten-Ravenshad (2-30), Joe Atkinson (2-47) and Cope (2-48) took two wickets apiece.
In reply, Kenilworth lost opener Sandeep Kumar (6) as Cope and Quinn Bungard (17) built a steady partnership.
Captain Atkinson (7) fell cheaply before Curran kept Kenilworth in the contest with a superb knock which included eight boundaries.
Adam Huxford (19) was the only other batter to reach double figures with Kenilworth’s lower order unable to drag the visitors to victory as they fell 33 runs short of the required total.
However, the club’s second XI romped to a 112-run victory against Dorridge 3rds as opener Dan Horner hit a fine half-century.
Kenilworth were only one wicket down as the home side brought up their century after Danny Boneham (25) fell to Oscar Henrick (2-44).
Horner (62) faced more than 100 deliveries before he eventually fell to Joe Rastrick (2-36) as three 50-run partnerships helped Kenilworth reach 255-6 at the end of their 50 overs.
Chris Prophet (42), Babu Balasubramanian (35), Matt Smith (34) and Jono Sparks (31) all hit good scores to put the home side in command.
In reply, Ben Clarke (2-22) took a pair of early wickets in the first three overs before Tom Skinner (3-19) claimed two scalps of his own to leave Dorridge in trouble on 46-5.
Middle order pair Steve Hooper (35) and Henrick (31) were the only batters to provide any sort of resistance before they fell to Skinner and Babu (2-17) respectively.
Josh Charlwood (2-20) and Louis Smithson (1-25) were also amongst the wickets as Dorridge were all out for 143.
The result means Kenilworth sit second in the Division Seven East table just two points behind leaders Griff and Coton.
Elsewhere, Kenilworth’s third XI won a rain-affected match against Moreton-in-Marsh 2nds by 23 runs.
Kenilworth won the toss and elected to bat although all of their first four batters were unable to reach double figurres.
However, an impressive fifth-wicket partnership between Dhruv Vyas (52) and Matthew Bain (62) saw Kenilworth post a respectable 181 all out.
In reply, Kenilworth’s bowlers resticted to Moreton to 90-5 as Matt Bain (2-26), Ben Kelley (1-15), Sam Davies (1-16) and Matty Dadswell (1-25) took crucial wickets.
And the game was eventually determined via DLS as Kenilworth won by 23 runs with Moreton short of the revised 114 target.
The victory means Kenilworth remain second in the Cotswold Hills League Division Five table.
Kenilworth’s Sunday Smash side suffered a heavy 124-run defeat against Olton and West Warwicks who posted a mammoth 214-2 from their 100 balls as Davies and Prophet took the wickets.
Chasing a big total, Kenilworth were all out for just 90 as Davies (27 not out) and Bungard (14) were the top scorers with the bat.
However, Kenilworth’s Sunday team won by six wickets against Norton Lindsey and Wolverton via DLS.
After a solid start with the bat, Kenilworth finally made inroads in the Norton Lindsey innings as Krishna Alluri (2-16) and Dadswell (2-27) restricted the visitors progress.
And Peter Huxford (3-18) mopped up the tail end as Norton Lindsey were all out for 143.
Lightning cut short Kenilworth’s reply, after opener Joe Tate (48), Vyas (33) and Horner (22 not out) left Kenilworth on 127-3 which far exceeded the revised DLS total of 82.
