KENILWORTH Wardens will look to open the gap between themselves and the danger zone in the Birmingham League Premier Division when they visit second from bottom Kidderminster on Saturday.
Rain put paid to their hopes last weekend when the match with visitors Barnt Green at Glasshouse Park was abandoned.
After a delayed star, caused by heavy overnight rain Barnt Green won the toss and decided to bat in a game reduced to 53 overs per side.
Jamie Harrison (30 including five fours) and Tom Brown put on 64 for the first wicket in 13 overs before Harrison was caught on the boundary by Ajun Bath off Basit Zaman.
Ed Pollock and Brown moved the score steadily on at four an over, before a sharp rain shower took the players off the field. After the rain break the introduction of Junead Zaman into the attack paid instant dividends, having Pollock (55) caught behind of his first ball, his stylish innings including six fours.
As the rain clouds gathered again, Matt Hancock (2-35) ended Brown’s 91-ball innings, caught behind by Sale (the innings included 6 fours and a maximum), and the bowled Australian overseas player John Psarakis eight runs later.
With the innings nicely poised at 201-4 in the 42nd over rain started to fall and the players retreated to the pavilion for an early tea, but steady rain prevented any resumption and the game was abandoned as a draw.
Richard Anthony and Robin De Regt both hit half centuries give Kenilworth Wardens 2nd XI a vital victory away to Halesowen in Premier Division Second XI.
A 20-points win leaves them fourth in the table, 30 points behind table-toppers Woverhampton.
After winning the toss, Wardens opted to bowl first with an ever-changing weather forecast at the forefront of their mind. Warwickshire youngster Khayam Khan and Tommy Rex opened the bowling with economical spells on a turgid wicket but with little assistance from the pitch or overhead conditions Wardens soon turned to their three-pronged spin attack.
Veteran spinner Mark Pidgeon clean-bowled Tom Williams (23) and once Rahul Trivedi had the well-set Naim Luhar (53) caught by Khan in the deep Halesowen were 101-2 with overs running out. For Halesowen only skipper Joe Tromans’ 14-ball 23 really put any significant pressure on Wardens as Halesowen finished on a below par 168-8 from their 50 overs.
In reply rain reduced Warden’s chase to 40 overs but the added moisture appeared to improve batting conditions as the ball came more freely onto the bat.
As is almost a weekly occurrence De Regt and Anthony both scored excellent fifties as their outstanding 2017 form continues. With Wardens cruising the run chase Luhar grabbed three late wickets, with two controversial LBW decisions, to give talkative Halesowen a sniff of victory. With only three required from the final over, keeper Jonathan Phillips’ late cut bought Wardens victory.
