CRICKET: WARWICK 1st XI extended their lead at the top of the Warwickshire Cricket League Division Five table following an emphatic 186 run victory against Bulkington.
In a rain affected match, Matthew Warren lost the toss and the hosts were asked to bat first on a green wicket in a game reduced to 43 overs per side.
Warwick got off to the worst possible start as opener Graeme Burke (0) was caught at point in the first over of the match.
The wicket of fellow opener Steven Smith (9) quickly followed as he was out clean bowled, leaving Warwick in trouble at 26/2.
However there was nothing to fear from this point on as these early breakthroughs brought 18-year-old James Sood and captain Matthew Warren to the crease.
What followed was a destructive 186 run partnership, and James Sood registered his first century for the club as he smashed a brutal 105 off just 81 balls including 15 boundaries.
Matthew Warren continued his excellent start to the season with a classy 84 not out from just 79 balls.
With rain looming, Warwick made the decision to declare after just 30 overs with the score 219/4.
Even with bat in hand there was to be no let up for the visitors as Warwick continued to turn the screw with the ball.
A superb opening spell of seam bowling from Josh Osborne and Rajan Bhatti reduced Bulkington to 24/4 off 13 overs, before rain once again interrupted play.
As the clouds began to clear, play was able to resume and it proved to be the final passage of the match as Anil Lohan joined the fray to put the final nails in the coffin.
The leg spinner finished with four wickets and superb figures of four wickets for just three runs.
At the other end, Rajan Bhatti earned his first five wicket haul of the season with an accurate spell of seam bowling to finish the innings in style and condemn Bulkington to 33 all out after just 21.2 overs.
Warwick host third place Ward End Unity on Saturday in what should be a close encounter at Hampton Road.
