Birmingham cricket round-up: Shrewsbury see title hopes ended in surprise defeat

First to bat, Dan Humes high-scored for Shrewsbury with 39 runs from 30 balls, while Peter Clark and Seb Scott chipped in with 28 and 23 respectively. 

Himley enjoyed a dominant bowling display, with Ben Robinson taking five wickets, and Ollie Walker and Jamie Turner also collected two apiece to bowl Shrewsbury out for 153 inside 35.1 overs. 

Navindu Vithanage struck an unbeaten 49 from 51 balls and was expertly aided by Walker's tally of 44. 

Spencer Grove (37 not out) and James Clark (24) also scored strongly to propel Himley to a victorious 156/3 after just 33.3 overs.

That defeat leaves Shrewsbury sitting in fourth place in the table and 25 points adrift of Smethwick, who were crowned champions despite losing by one wicket against their closest rivals Halesowen. 

Smethwick have won back-to-back Division One titles and have emerged as champions in three of the last four seasons overall.

Shrewsbury appeared to be carrying momentum into the business end of the campaign after collecting four successive victories prior to their abandoned clash at Smethwick on August 30.

They will finish the season at home against relegated Berkswell, who sit second from bottom.

In Division Two, Worfield confirmed their safety despite falling to a home defeat against Leamington by eight runs. 

Coventry & North Warwickshire beat Shifnal by 40 runs, but Worfield's six-point haul proved enough to preserve their Division Two status for next season. 

Worfield boast a 26-point buffer over second from bottom Coventry & North Warwickshire to secure survival with a game to spare.

Oscar Briggs high-scored for Leamington with 65, while Rashawn Worrell (30) and Tom Randle (24) also scored well before Leamington were bowled out for 180. 

Shahrukh Khan took three wickets for Worfield, and Ravan Chahal and Arthur Smallman also collected two each. 

In response, Smallman struck 52 and Chahal weighed in with 26, but they were unable to prevent Worfield from eventually being bowled out for 172. 

Worfield will conclude their campaign with a trip to in-form and promoted outfit Dorridge. 

Despite suffering relegation, Coventry & North Warwickshire were able to condemn Shifnal to an away defeat, winning by 40 runs in their penultimate game. 

A half-century from opener Okera Bascome (57) and Will Iles added a steady 35 to help the hosts finish the first innings on 193. 

That ultimately proved to be enough as Shifnal were dismissed for 153 in the 42nd over, with Arun Singh Kalsi collecting five wickets for Coventry.

Shifnal were already safe ahead of the weekend but faltered on the bat with Charlie Home high-scoring with 33 from 40 balls. 

Ben Lees also posted 29 and Cameron Jones weighed in with 22 from 23 balls, but they would fall significantly short as that defeat leaves them in a lowly ninth place.

With a pair of defeats either side of their abandoned clash against Kidderminster, Shifnal will be aiming to end the season on a winning note at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth in their final game.