THE SEARCH for a first win of the new season for Bablake Old Boys continues after they lost by three wickets away at Studley in the Warwickshire Premier Division.
The home side won the toss and put Bablake in to bat first but Studley’s opening bowlers reduced their opponents to 7 for 3 before Azhar Ali (50) and Tom Cowley (22) lead a recovery with Sam Eames (15) and Clark McCallum’s 25 allowing Bablake to post a modest 132 all out.
The damage was largely done by Andrew Rhode who picked up four wickets and conceded just 15 runs from 12 overs, while Luke Deeprose also helped out with a late hat-trick.
In reply, Studley made the required runs in the 45th over with the loss of just three wickets despite the best efforts of Azhar Ali. Jack Williams top scored for Studley with 59 not out and Steve Rose chipped in with a useful 42.
“Losing wickets in clusters made it impossible to be competitive,” said Bablake skipper Tom Cowley. “We found a new ball bowler in form but we need to be stronger, once you’re behind the game it’s hard to turn it round.”
In the Birmingham Division Two, Coventry & North Warwickshire lost by 26 runs away at Penkridge.
After winning the toss, Coventry elected to put their opponents in first to bat Andy Jones (45) and Ishaq Mohammed (49) helped the home side ease their way to 248 for 9 from 50 overs.
Harry Horsley picked up three wickets from ten overs while Greg Ricketts collected two wickets from his ten overs.
It looked as though Coventry were in with a shout of making that total as they reached 158 for 4, but when Harry Horsley was bowled out for 88, the back end of the batting order struggled for runs and the visitors ended up on 222 all out in ther final over the match.
