Wellington dig in to hold top spot in Shropshire Cricket League

They defended 229 away at Shrewsbury seconds to take the maximum 24 points on offer and maintain their 13-point lead at the summit.

Dan Lloyd (34), William Mashinge (51) and Wendell Wagner (46) contributed well from numbers three, four and five in the batting order – but a late 20no from Ben Pilkington was also crucial as Wellington collapsed from 196-4.

Luke Thornton took 5-60 for Shrewsbury seconds, but after a bright start in reply they could not see it through.

Dan Humes (29) and Edward Prideaux helped Shrews to 97-2, but they then lost four wickets for the addition of just two more runs and never recovered. Lloyd took 4-32.

Second-placed Quatt (237-8) saw off Shelton (140) thanks to the all-round talents of Kuldeep Diwan, who scored 53 with the bat and then took 5-26 with the ball. Oliver Plank (52) also scored a half-century for Quatt, and was backed up by 43 from Daniel Plank.

Shavon Brooks took 4-61 for Shelton, whose openers Pabel Saha (43) and Ben Mathews (41) were not backed up. Muhammad Irfan (102) scored a century and then took six wickets as Wem (260-8) thrashed Oswestry (131) to move up to third.

Tom Astley also scored 49no for Wem, while Oswestry’s Alex Davidson took 4-39.

Whitchurch (132) slipped to a five-wicket home defeat by Madeley (136-5), with the hosts recovering from 55-7 thanks to 40 from Daniel Bowen.

Yashoda Mendis took 4-49 for Madeley and then led the victory charge in reply, scoring 46no.

Fifth-placed Sentinel (198-9) earned a winning draw at Ludlow (184-9), with Tom Griffiths (76) and Ed Ashlin (43) leading the way for Sentinel.

Joe Williams took 4-45 for Ludlow, who quickly slipped to 28-3 in reply thanks to a superb spell from Jonathan Evans (2-13).

However, hopes of victory were raised when Mark Porteous (56) and Will Sparrow (37) got them to 124-4.

But Deswin Currency (4-60) and George Cheshire (2-61) put the squeeze on – though Freddie Ammonds (22no) and Louis Watkins (1no) held out.

Newport (192-7) remain rooted to the bottom after a losing draw at home to St Georges (243).

Joseph Buttery (57), Alex Johnson (47) and Michael Myatt (37no) were the top run-scorers for St Georges, with Adan Hussain (59no) and Ed Fowler (34) leading Newport’s ultimately unsuccessful reply.