Bridgnorth 234-6 Studley 85
BRIDGNORTH got their Birmingham Cricket League season off with a bang on Saturday by thumping Studley in the third division fixture by 149 runs at home.
Bridgnorth were invited to bat first on a seasonally green Cricket Meadow wicket and made a solid start with Jono Whitney (35) and Andy Carson (35) seeing the shine off the new ball. Newcomer Dave Exall (34) and Matt Martin (18) gave the innings impetous with some intelligent stroke play.
Peter Thompson top-scored with 64 not out and aided by a breezy 36 off 19 balls from Gaz Mumford, Bridgnorth were able to post a handy 234-6 off their allotted overs.
In reply, the visitors had few answers to the swing of Tom Weaver and and limped to 45-4 as Bridgnorth’s fielding backed up the bowling.
Skipper Mark MacPherson-Lees claimed 3-21 before the re-introduction of Weaver, who finished with 6-20 to end the job as Studley folded to 85 all out.
Weaver was named the HQ Sports Bar man of the match, but MacPherson-Lees was quick to praise the efforts of the whole team.
“We have shown our potential as a unit and it is now up to the team to maintain this level of performance,” he said.
Bridgnorth II 101 Kidderminster II 102-1
BRIDGNORTH’S second string faced a difficult opener against Kidderminster, relegated from the premier division last season, and the Chester Road men made light of their visitors.
The experienced John Logan (7-31) used the good bowling conditions to his advantage, as only Conner Goodwin-Tindall (26) and Jimmy Shaw (17) reached double figures in the visitors 101 all out.
A wicket for Simon Pitt in his first over, thanks to a well-judged running catch by Ed Lewis, was to be Bridgnorth’s only joy, as first team regular Toby Kimberlin (63 not out) scored freely, taking his side past their target in only 14 overs. That said, Kimberlin rode his luck and had the balls gone to hand, the visitors may have returned with a better looking result.
