CRUSADER WORCESTERSHIRE LEAGUE

A SUPERB all-round performance by Jon Boult helped Bewdley to a seven-wicket victory over Droitwich in a County League Division One match.

The impressive Boult took 6-80 and then hit 66.

Bewdley won the toss and asked Droitwich to bat and were rewarded with two early wickets for Robert Combes and Andy Baylis.

J Connor and J Staines began to score heavily for Droitwich, taking the tally from 25-2 to 129 in the 26th over when Baylis caught and bowled Staines.

Boult then began to claim wickets with his off-spin and Cyril Ramsey's smart stumpings reflected an improved fielding performance.

Bewdley managed to contain the home team on a good batting track to 226-9 which proved inadequate as Bewdley's batting continued to demonstrate the all-round improved teamwork.

Boult and Matt Boden opened steadily at three an over for the first 20 overs, then upped the rate to four before Boult was dismissed at 102 for his classy 66. Boden fell one short of a deserved 50 at 136.

This brought in Simon Smith to join Simon Mauger and Smith (55no) led the way to a run a ball, Mauger (35) joining in the hitting, including a six to the short boundary.

With six overs remaining, Paul Beard (16no) joined Smith with 44 runs still needed. These were knocked off by the 48th over, to give Bewdley 20 points.

Scores: Droitwich 226-9,

Bewdley 229-3

Bewdley 2nd Xl managed to hold on to the draw against Droitwich when they were just three runs short of victory.

Droitwich were given first use of the good Lower Park batting track and there were early successes for Ben Jones (2-24), although D Scott-Walker batted well for the visitors, falling for 56 at 87-3.

Dean Wilkes (3-46) chipped through the middle order before D Stephens, at number nine, hit 32. Then Bewdley captain David Jones cleared out the tail-enders for 224.

Andy Robinson took 15 off the first over and when he was yorked for 25 his opening partner, Martin Flack, had still to score. David Meek (47) and Flack (71) took 90 off the target, then Gareth Lewis helped Flack take the score to 196. Bewdley, however, had fallen behind the clock and efforts to score quickly led to a collapse.

Three runs were needed off the last two balls, but a misunderstanding led to a single not being attempted. Then a single was attempted when two were needed to tie. Flack was run out for 71 off the last ball to give the visitors another bowling point.

Scores: Droitwich 2nd 224,

Bewdley 2nd 222-7

Fixtures: Saturday: Bewdley v Brockhampton, Brockhampton v Bewdley 2nd Xl, Bewdley Cavaliers v Ombersley (all 1.30pm). Sunday: Old Elizabethans v Bewdley, Bewdley 2nd Xl v Bretforton (2pm).