Cricket round-up: Mixed fortunes for Shropshire's Birmingham League sides over Bank Holiday weekend
After a fast start to their Birmingham League campaign, Shrewsbury have fallen to three consecutive defeats.
Shropshire’s leading cricket club won their opening two matches against Harborne and Knowle & Dorridge.
But they now are finding life more difficult after they suffered back-to-back defeats on Bank Holiday weekend.
They were beaten by five wickets on Saturday at Ombersley, and then in the shadow of the Malvern Hills, they were beaten at Barnards Green by a comfortable 88-run margin on Monday.
Worcestershire opener Rehaan Edavalath claimed the plaudits for the hosts by making 119 from 130 balls as his team reached 255-7 from 50 overs.
Sam Whitney grabbed three late scalps for Shrews whose batters were quickly on the back foot at 38-5 against an impressive new-ball burst from Chris Steele (3-29) before eventually being bowled out for 166.
In Division Two, Worfield have done the complete opposite to Shrewsbury. They had a tough start but they have bounced back in empathic fashion winning their last three clashes.
Greg Wright’s side beat Coventry & North Warwickshire on Saturday by 163 runs before getting the better of Handsworth by six wickets on Monday.
KasJuan Sullivan stroked a fine 93 for the visitors who as a result recovered from 11-4 to 188 all out from 44 overs.
Arthur Smallman claimed three wickets for Worfield who then eased to a revised target of 183 in 46 overs through 73 not out from their overseas Sri Lankan batter Rishin Patabedige.
Their form has seen them fly up the table, and they now sit in sixth place in the 12-team division.
Shifnal, who would have gone into the campaign with hopes of promotion to the top division, have had a very difficult start to the season.
They did manage to get their first win on Saturday as they beat Handsworth - a side who have lost every game - by two wickets.
But on Monday, they lost away at Tamworth by six wickets. They won the toss and elected to bat, and made 211-9 from their 50 overs. That was largely thanks to 58 from 76 balls for Shropshire skipper Charlie Home.
Overseas player Sam Scrimgeour also made a quickfire 41, but then the rain intervened and Tamworth were set a target of 190 from 40 overs.
They got to that target with 10 balls to spare with all of the top six making it into double figures.
