Report submitted by Worcestershire County League

The only game to survive the bad weather and play itself out to a full conclusion was at the War Memorial Ground in the Premier League and what a poignant match it was as Stourbridge Cricket Club somehow managed to stay dry enough for long enough to allow the home team to steal a march on the rest of the division by beating visitors and former champions Astwood Bank by three wickets.

The last time these teams would have met was on the final day of the 2019 season (pre Covid-19) in the top of the table clash in which Astwood Bank turned round a points deficit by beating Stourbridge at Sambourne Lane, a win that decided the outcome of the inaugural Premier Division title and earned them a place in the Birmingham & District Premier League play-offs where they were unlucky to finish third out of four and mis out on promotion to the Regional League

Stourbridge, no doubt with the memory in mind won the toss and inserted the visitors in what were always going to be bowler friendly conditions.

After a steady start which saw the visitors get to 82-3 and beginning to look like they may post a challenging first innings total, new recruit Omar Lewis (4-39) produced an excellent spell of bowling that helped the home team take the final seven first innings wickets for just thirty-two runs with only Rob West (48) offering any real resistance for the opposition.

However, if Stourbridge thought the low total was going to be a breeze they were in for a shock as the Astwood Bank opening attack came out of the blocks well to reduce Stourbridge to 8 for 3 within the first four overs.

A time for someone to stand up if ever there was one for the Glassboys and that’s exactly what happened, with the match in the balance in-form wicket-keeping all-rounder Maverick Perry (49), who in the past has often been guilty of batting like his first name suggests showed his growing maturity by initially being content to just occupy the crease, then as time went on together with the support of  Shameer Ahmed (35) the pair went on to build a fourth wicket partnership of seventy nine vital runs which despite the loss of three more wickets close to home proved the backbone of the home teams three wicket win.

This win puts Stourbridge fifteen points clear of the chasing pack after four matches.  Although still early days with regards to the season the cream may be starting to rise to the top and the men from Stourbridge who would have been hurt on the final day of the 2019 season find themselves at the summit again after banishing whatever unconscious demons that may still have been.

The only other match which saw the teams toss the coin was at St. Peters Field in the Division One clash between Droitwich Spa and Feckenham. In this one, visitors Feckenham won the toss and inserted the home team who managed to post a decent first innings target of (160-8 off 45 overs).following solid contributions from Martyn Davies (41) who has enjoyed a fine start to the season with bat and ball and Darryn Bancroft (33).

Only nineteen overs were possible in the second innings, one short of creating a result which would have left Droitwich Spa much the more disappointed of the two teams as an excellent opening spell from Max Young (5-20) had reduced the visitors to 63-8 in the second innings when the match was duly abandoned.

In the lower divisions Harborne 6th XI were the recipients of a win by concession in Division Eight (East).