CRICKET: LEAMINGTON hosted fellow strugglers Walmley at Arlington Avenue on Saturday, but were unable to produce a winning performance as they lost by 151 runs.
Batting first, Walmley made a bright start before losing Carlos Prowse to Tom Warner for 16.
Iandev Chauhan was joined by James Brocklebank and took the score into three figures before Chauhan was bowled bu James Silk for 48.
The rest of the innings saw veteran Leamington spinner Neil Smith pit his wits against Walmley’s batters.
His variations accounted for each batsman one by one.
Aside from Brocklebank, all batsmen got starts – but none played a match-defining innings.
Brocklebank made 71 at a run-a-ball and Andrew Hendry and Dan Chaudhry both passed 30 as Walmley were bowled out for a testing 275.
Smith ended with standout figures of eight wickets for just 35 runs in 13 overs.
Sadly, Leamington’s batters were unable to match Smith’s exploits as only James Gilchriest of the top order made double figures.
He made 22 before becoming the last of five victims for the excellent Aatif Ali.
A defiant 46 from Tom Warner merely delayed the inevitable as Leamington slumped to 124 all out.
Ali ended the game with figures of five wickets for 54 runs while Jordan Hoffman (35/3) and Jonathan Newis (27/2) provided vital support.
Walmley move out of the relegation zone while Leamington remain next to bottom of Division One.
2ND XI
The second team’s run of good form came to an abrupt end in the reverse fixture at Walmley as the hosts cantered to a five wicket win.
Batting first on a pitch that offered some help to the seamers early on, Leamington made a faltering start – losing three wickets early on, mainly due to poor shot selection as oppose to unplayable bowling.
Dave Hawkes was playing well amongst the mayhem as he made 25.
Karan Patra was joined by Rob Williams and they rebuilt slowly, with Patra in particular finding scoring difficult.
Walmley’s young attack – featuring four Under 15s – gave little to go after.
Williams made 50 before holing out to long-off, and Patra’s 51 was ended in the last over as he was stumped by Nathan Hill.
Leamington were dismissed for 176, a score that seemed under par.
Despite probing spells from Joe Midgley and Rob Lord, Walmley’s openers made a steady start until Lord snared Adam Nicholas for 14.
Walmley rotated the strike well, something that Leamington had been unable to do efficiently – and although Leamington chipped away the hosts were always on top.
Opener Callum Herron made 39 before becoming one of two victims for Dave Hawkes while Tom Pike made 41.
A breezy undefeated 38 for Roshan Venkataraman saw Walmley home by five wickets with seven overs to spare.
3RD XI
A better showing for the club’s Cotswold Hill League sides saw two wins over Tanworth & Camp Hill on Saturday.
The third string compiled 222/6 in their 45 overs with a healthy donation of extras from Tanworth supporting good knocks from Mark Reynolds, Jimmy Gethins and David Lord.
Tanworth could only muster 162 in reply with Tim Smedley the pick of the Spa bowlers.
Tanworth replace Leamington at the foot of the Premier Division in what seems to be a four-way battle to avoid the two relegation places.
4TH XI
Paul Wilson’s fourth team got back to winning ways at the weekend with a 30 run win over Tanworth on Flavels.
Coincidentally, Leamington’s total matched that of their third team – and again Tanworth were unable to reach a testing target as veterans Shaun Williams and Mark Ryan worked their way through the visitors’ batting.
The match ended with Tanworth all out for 192, as Leamington moved into the top half of Division Four.
