MAX Page’s half-century provided the highlight of Bedworth’s rain-hit Warwickshire Premier League visit to Olton which was abandoned after 42.5 overs of play, writes Paul Smith.
The young opener hit 53 from 99 balls and with Fizz Abdullah and Nick Thomas offering useful support from the middle-order, the visitors had reached 206 for eight when the rain arrived for a final time.
Bedworth claimed eight points from the washed-out contest and as a result lie in tenth place in the table where they are part of a tightly-packed group of seven clubs spanned by just 16 points.
“It was a shame that it rained as it was shaping up to be a good game,” Bedworth captain Abdul Hafeez said.
“Olton were missing a couple of batters and had we got to around 230 it could have been very interesting.
“Max batted really well again and continued his run of good form, then Fizz and Nick Thomas did an excellent job after we had a bit of a mid-innings collapse.”
After being invited to bat first Page and his captain took the score to 28 before Hafeez (13) fell to Kieran Burke.
Useful contributions from Juggy Nandra (22) and Jamie Parnell (17) then helped Page take the score to 95 for two before the introduction of veteran Phil Trilloe and Khizar Zaman, who both claimed 2-28, brought about the loss of four quick wickets.
Page was the last of these after making a battling 53 including six fours and a six.
At 127 for six Olton scented opportunity until their hopes were thwarted by a fine partnership between Abdullah, who made a fluent 28-ball 33, and wicket-keeper Thomas who found the boundary six times during his unbeaten 35-ball 32.
The seventh-wicket pair added 67 useful runs to boost the visitors beyond 200 when play was prematurely ended.
