Herefordshire sides suffer defeats as rain reduces targets

BURGHILL, Tillington & Weobley suffered a narrow defeat by just 19 runs at the hands of Barnt Green in the Worcestershire County League Division One.

Their visitors are the form side, having won all four games played this season.

Having won the toss, the visitors elected to bat and In the first 25 overs, Burghill bowled too many ‘four’ balls resulting in the Barnt Green top order capitalising and sitting146-3 at drinks.

However, in the second 25 overs, line and length improved, especially from the two spinner Ranjit William (4-41) and 110 runs were scored for the loss of seven wickets.

At one stage, a 300 plus score looked likely but the spinners pulled it back to see Barnt Green finish on 256 all out.

Teenager Archie Stevenson (3-35) is improving rapidly and clean bowled all three of his victims, finishing with 3-35 off 7.1 overs.  Although only picking up a single wicket, Arjun Singh’s 10 overs went for 38 runs.

Burghill started poorly with the bat and then seven overs were lost to a thunderstorm.  The equation was now 217 to win off 37 overs.

An 88-run partnership in 102 balls by Jake Kinderman (45) and Sabil Sarmad (37) gave the Burgs some hope, with the score at 97-3.

It was now up to the middle order to win the game for the Burgs.  They all got starts but no one kicked on to see them home as Burghill fell short by 19 runs.

Bartestree & Lugwardine took the trip to Hagley and suffered a defeat by 87 runs.

After losing the toss and being put into bowl the Herefordshire visitors started well with the ever-reliable Adam Davies (3-22) reducing the hosts to 23-2 early on with two LBWs.

On a flat pitch with short boundaries Hagley reached 267 before being bowled out as Owen Beynon also picking up three wickets.

In reply, Bartestree openers Nick Freeman (14) and Edward Milner (46) put on 67 for the first wicket at the visitors looked good.

Once again the first wicket started a classic Bartestree collapse losing seven wickets for 32 runs and falling to 99-7.

Lee Bartlett (26) and Stan Lunt (34) showed their team how to bat and they put some pride back into the performance putting on a partnership worth over 50.

However, it was too little too late and Bartestree were bowled out for 180.

In the Premier Division, Brockhampton pushed visitors Old Elizabethans close before falling to a 13-run defeat.

After electing to bat Old Elizabethans put on 204-6 off their 50 overs before a storm saw Brockhampton’s target reduced to 183 off 40 overs.

The Herefordshire hosts were consistent with their runs without big scorers as Tom Austwick top scored on 23 as they fell just short at 169 all out.

Elsewhere, Bromyard was beaten by eight wickets against Stourbridge after seeing their target of 180-9 easily reached.