It’s all to play for as the title race hots up

The top two sides going into Saturday’s matches both lost with leaders Whitchurch going down to an in-form Wem outfit while Broseley were beaten in a tense, low scoring affair at home to Worfield.

The results leave Whitchurch 13 points clear of Worfield while Broseley have slipped down to fifth in the standings.

The bowlers were on top in the Brosleley/Worfield clash with just 242 runs being scored at The Stocking.

Tom Whitney played a key innings for Worfield, top scoring with 43 as they were bowled out for 133. Bryn Simmons chipped in with a vital 22.

Gavin Jones was the chief destroyer with a superb spell that saw him pick up five wickets for just 15 runs while Nadeem Ahmad and Craig Stewart both claimed two victims

But that total proved to be enough as the Worfield bowlers hit their straps.

Former Shropshire skipper James Ralph led a one-man battle with 50 batting at number but received no support.

Opening bowler James Parker bagged three wickets while spinners Will Weir (3-16) and skipper Joe Arnold turned the screw (2-16) to help fire out the home side for just 109.

“We thought 150 would be a good score on that pitch, it was difficult to bat on with the ball seaming and spinning, so we were probably around par,” said Arnold.

“On another day Tom’s 43 would be worth about 80.

“We knew we had to bowl well and we did just that although I did start to wonder if it was going to be one of those days when we dropped James Ralph twice and then saw him bowled without the bails dropping off!

“But we stuck at it and it was an important win for us.

“It just shows how competitive the league is with five sides all in with a chance.

“We still have Whitchurch, Wem and Ludlow to play. Any of the leading sides that goes on a winning streak now will win the league. We just need to concentrate on playing good cricket and stay in the mix for the final couple of weeks.”

Whitchurch would have fancied their chances of victory after dismissing Wem for 144.

Sam Ellis (3-19), Vansh Bajaj (3-12), Ijaz Yousef (3-26) all impressed with the ball for the table-toppers with Chris Peel hitting 31 and Danny Cohen and James Astley adding vital 20s batting at nine and 10 respectively in the bowler-friendly conditions.

But facing a revised target of 140 after rain, Whitchurch were undone by some fine bowling from the hosts.

Yousef (47) and Ellis (37) made useful contributions but James Astley (3-24), Tom Astley (2-6) and Danny Cohen (2-23) combined to dismiss their title rivals for 130.

The win lifts Wem into fourth place, 18 points behind Whitchurch.