Cricket: Premier Division new boys Berkswell claim top spot in fledgling season

Premier Division new boys Berkswell Cricket Club (2011 Div 1 Champions)

Trevor Jordan reports on Berkswell Cricket Club’s remarkable start to their first season in the top flight of the Birmingham Cricket League, with a victory on the road at fancied side Himley, to leapfrog them into top spot in the Premier Division.

 

Birmingham Premier Division

Himley (60 all out)

lost to

Berkswell (145 all out) by 85 runs

 

Another outstanding team display saw Berkswell move to the top of the Birmingham Premier League after a comprehensive eighty five run victory that had skipper Dominic Ostler praising his bowlers:

 

“We bowled magnificently and kept the pressure on them from the first ball”, said victorious skipper Dominic Ostler. “Last week it was Babar Khan and Tom Milnes who did the damage for us, this week it was Chris Cheslin. Ed and Tom got us off to the perfect start with their control early on and then Chris and Babar maintained the stranglehold. Over the last two weeks we’ve proved what an effective bowling outfit we are.”
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May 15, 2012 |

Cricket: Berkswell braced for top of table clash at Himley

Premier Division new boys Berkswell take an unchanged side to early league leaders Himley tomorrow (Saturday 12th May), meaning former Warwickshire skipper Ian Westwood is available for the testing Birmingham & District League encounter.

 

Berkswell captain Dominic Ostler said:

 

“It’s great news for us that we have both Ian Westwood and Tom Milnes available for the trip, this is a big game for us and a great challenge, where we’ll find out how good we are. We had a great win last week in adverse conditions, it got a bit tight but was a good team effort.”

 
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May 11, 2012 |

Cricket: newly promoted Berkswell throw down early marker with first Premier Division victory

Trevor Jordan reports on Berkswell’s first ever completed fixture in the Birmingham and District League’s Premier Division, a close-fought victory away at Kidderminster, which propelled them to an exciting and unexpectedly early 2nd positioned place:

 

Birmingham League – Premier Division

Kidderminster 95 (all out) v Berkswell 112 (all out)

 

After a washout the previous weekend, Berkswell finally experienced their first ever encounter in the Birmingham and District Premier Division on a damp, green Kidderminster Victoria wicket to came out on top in a dramatic and close fought encounter.

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May 7, 2012 |

Rugby: Berkswell overcome staggering odds to clinch promotion

Steve Wake reports on Berkswell & Balsall Rugby Club’s emphatic Midlands West 2 play-off victory against ‘Old Salts’ on Saturday 28th April 2012, which saw them earn passage to Midlands West Division One.  Berkswell’s season will have taken many by surprise, having kicked off on minus 15 points, thanks to a stiff penalty levied by league officials in consideration for a mass-brawl during a league encounter the previous season.

 

Berkswell’s achievement has been widely noted in the sporting press, with the play-off victory seen by many observers as the icing on the cake after an almost impossible achievement.

 

Old Saltleians – 3 Berkswell & Balsall – 27

Midlands West 2 (Play-off)

 

A determined Berkswell earned the right to celebrate their excellent 30th anniversary season in style with a winning performance in this play-off match to see who would earn passage into Midlands West Division 1.  Berkswell’s 15 point pre-season points deduction was not enough in the end to deny this determined squad from continuing their remarkable ascent through the divisions.

 

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May 3, 2012 |

Ich bin ein Commoner. One parish for Balsall Common?

Berlin had its Wall, dividing the city along the East and West. Balsall Common has the parish boundary, dividing the village along East and West. And there the similarity ends; one has long been dismantled in the interest of prosperity, harmony and peace. A unified Balsall Common awaits those who dare to try.
Balsall Parish councillor Raymond Ritchie explains all and invites you to contact Solihull Council with your views and attend the meeting next Thursday 7.30pm (29th March) at the heart of England School (details to follow early next week).
March 22, 2012 |

Berkswell & Balsall Common Tennis Club on the lookout for new members

Berkswell and Balsall Common Tennis Club is currently welcoming new members of all ages and abilities. The long-established club is situated at the Lant Sports Ground and Community Centre on Meeting House Lane in Balsall Common.

 

Competitive and social tennis players all welcome at Berkswell & Balsall

 

Berkswell and Balsall Common Tennis Club is urging Wimbledon-wannabes to dust off their trainers and restring their rackets to make the most of annual memberships, which run from 1st March each year.

 

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March 5, 2012 |

Rugby: Berkswell edged out by Pershore

Steve Wake reports on Berkswell’s Midlands West Division 2 (South) encounter just over a week ago at Pershore on Saturday 25th February 2012:

 

Pershore – 19     Berkswell & Balsall – 18

 

Berkswell somehow contrived to dominate the first hour of this trip to Pershore, before throwing it away in the final quarter, as they allowed Pershore to overhaul a previously unanswered 18 point lead with three late tries to win by one point.  Disaster might still have been averted, but for a kickable missed penalty in the last minute.  This was a game where both sets of backs played some flowing, expansive rugby, with Pershore edging the try-count by three to two.

 

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