Balsall Common and Berkswell

North Warwickshire 163 – 9 (3pts) v Berkswell 164-3 (20pts)

Berkswell returned to the excellent form they enjoyed in July with an emphatic 7 wicket victory at high flying North Warwickshire.

Berkswell won the toss and invited North Warwickshire to bat first and their opponents were soon in trouble losing skipper Richard Adams to paceman Paul Thomas with the third ball of the match. North Warwicks continued to struggle
against the accurate opening attack of Milnes and Thomas, but it was first change Nadeem Bhatti who effected the real damage taking 4 for 32 from 14 overs leaving the home side reeling on 101 for 7 in the 35th over.

Pictured, man of the match Nadeem Bhatti

Some late resistance from the tail saw the batting side rally to a below par 163 for 9 from their 50 overs.

The Berkswell reply started cautiously against the probing North Warwickshire attack and when Matt Nightingale departed in the 20th over for a diligent 28 with the score on 43, Dominic Ostler (74) joined Mohammed Akhlaq (43) at the crease. The pair posted a fluent 105 for the second wicket taking Berkswell to within touching distance of the home side’s total. When both were dismissed in consecutive overs, it was left to Ricky Blundell and Man of the Match Bhatti to ease Berkswell to victory
with more than 7 overs to spare.

This week Berkswell travel to local rivals Kenilworth where they will be hoping their current run of form will enable them to reverse the defeat they suffered at the hands of the same side earlier in the season.

Saturday 2nd XI Report Berkswell 257 (8pts) v North Warwickshire 259 –9 (20pts)

Berkswell 2nd’s extended their lead at the top of the league to 21 points despite narrowly losing a thrilling game at home to North Warwickshire.

Electing to bat first, Berkswell lost opener Stuart Randall in the 3rd over with the score on 5, but skipper David Blundell and Richard Martin then added 78 runs before both batsmen fell to Smith in the 17th over – Blundell (34) stumped by Corbett and Martin (35) bowled. The loss of Josh Audi in the 19th over had Berkswell in trouble on 92 for 4 but a fine partnership of 90 between John Walsh (60) and junior player Chris Taroni (25) steadied the innings. With the score on 188 for 7 in the 39th over the incoming batsman diminutive Tush Fernando launched an assault on the North Warwickshire bowlers ferociously hitting the ball to all parts of the ground and when last man Trevor Jordan (2) was run out off the last ball of the innings Fernando remained not out on 66.

In reply North Warwickshire started steadily and maintained the required run rate but when Fernando was brought into the attack wickets started to fall. Wayward bowling in the middle of the innings enabled the middle order batsman to score freely, Andy Parker (63) and John Matthews (42) being the main beneficiaries. Young wicketkeeper Michael Corbett kept the momentum going and with the score on 255 for 9 at the start of the last over the match was in the balance. With the field in putting pressure on the batsman, the day was, however, to be North Warwickshire’s as Corbett (70no) edged the second ball of the over through the slips for 4 runs to claim victory for the visitors. Fernando (7-82) was the pick of the Berkswell bowlers.