BABLAKE Old Boys finally won their first game of the 2016 season against fellow strugglers Rugby at the picturesque Webb Ellis Road ground in the Warwickshire Premier Division.
Rugby won the toss and chose to field, no doubt confident of knocking off whatever Bablake posted. Bablake made 139-8 from their 50 overs with Azhar Ali once again making a valuable half century supported by Tom Cowley and Adil Hussain. This being after a middle order collapse.
Rugby got off to a flying start with dangermen Wilkins (37 from 15) and Ewer (44 from 35) setting about the modest target at a ferocious pace. Once Sam Eames got Wilkins’s prize wicket, Adil Hussain struggled through pain to claim a valuable 5-51. Skipper Tom Cowley bought himself on with devastating effect with figures of 5.2-2-7-4 to seal a remarkable victory in the 24th over.
“Very proud of all the lads but top draw performances from Azhar Ali with the bat and Adil Hussain with the ball provided us with a much needed victory,” said Bablake skipper Tom Cowley.
“The wicket wasn’t great so getting to 140 made us competitive and with Adil destroying the top order and us taking every catch to be presented it meant another thriller with Rugby went our way. Hopefully this can be a springboard to better results.”
The 24 point win sees Bablake Old Boys leapfrog Rugby and Hampton & Solihull out of the relegation zone.
Elsewhere in the Birmingham League Division Two, Amrinder Singh Brar struck an impressive 81 but still edned up on the losing side as Coventry & North Warwickshire slipped to a losing draw at home to Shifnal.
After winning the toss and electing to field, Coventry struggled to find an early breakthrough as Shifnal raced to 179 for 3 with opener Tom Collins hitting 79. Collins was helped by Jack McIver (64) and Chris Murrall (58) as Shifnal posted 279 for 6 from 55 overs.
Brar did his best to put up a fight in reply but Coventry could only reach 178 for six from their 55 overs.
