LEAMINGTON CC dropped into the Birmingham Cricket League Premier Division relegation zone after slipping to a disappointing home draw with bottom of the table Shrewsbury.
The home side won the toss and elected to field and looked well-placed to win after restricting the visitors to 73-4 as Matthew Davison (3-41) impressed with three early wickets.
Davison was responsible for Shrewsbury opener and captain Will Parton (31) before Matthew Swift and Rob Foster combined for an impressive 106 fifth-wicket partnership.
Dinuk De Silva (2-39) eventually removed both Swift (64) and Foster (48) only for Harry Cooke (26), William Jenkins (16) and Harry Darley (24) to lift Shrewsbury to 274-9 at the end of their innings.
Jonathan Wigley (2-74), Pierce Ryan (1-45) and Craig Miles (1-50) were also amongst the wickets with the former taking the first and last wicket of the Shrewsbury innings.
Leamingtion stuttered in their reply as openers Luke De Souza (3) and Harrison Smith (20) both fell cheaply before Joshua De Souza (6) and Craig Miles (20) were dismissed to leave the home side on 87-4.
Shane Dowrich made a remarkable 114 not out, which included 16 boundaries, and provided the glue for much of Leamington’s innings.
Oliver Currill (9) and Wigley (5) both failed to make double figures before D De Silva (23 not out) helped Leamington reach 204-6 some 71 runs short of the required total as they were forced to settle for a losing draw.
The result means Leamington sit 11th in the table, three points behind Shifnal CC and seven ahead of bottom-placed Shrewsbury.
