Leamington keep survival hopes alive with nervy Bromsgrove win

Mark Best top-scored with 76 as Leamington secured a hard-fought win over Bromsgrove to keep alive their chances of avoiding the drop.

Batting first, Bromsgrove lost both openers without scoring as Leamington’s Paul Rowe and Tom Warner bowled testing spells.

This brought Worcestershire stars Alexei Kervezee and George Rhodes to the crease and they took the score to 42 before Darrel Williams removed Dutch cap Kervezee.

Williams proceeded to dismiss Rhodes and Cordes as he bowled an excellent spell, deserving of his figures of three for 30.

Bromsgrove’s middle and late order rallied, led by Tom Underhill’s 40, to post a par score of 199 all out as Warner returned to close out the innings in the last over.

There were also two wickets for Leamington’s experienced off-spinner Neil Smith.

Leamington set about the chase in confident fashion as Shabaaz Alam (26) and Mark Best added 60 for the first wicket.

Best continued to accumulate steadily and went on to make 76, featuring in productive partnerships with David Bailey (30) and elder brother Paul (20).

Leamington looked to be coasting to victory at 167 for two, but they subsided to 173 for six and then 186 for eight as Keverzee and Underhill, Bromsgrove’s seventh and eighth choice bowlers, brought the visitors back into the game.

However, Smith and Warner saw Leamington home without further damage, Smith bringing up the winning runs with a maximum over long-on.

Leamington 2nds continued their late rally with a third consecutive win, this time at Himley.

Batting first, Leamington were again indebted to Richard Swann who passed 50 for the sixth time in 11 innings.

Swann (52) and Ady Butler (64) added more than a hundred for the second wicket, with a flurry of shots from Jack Hawkes (26) at the death ensuring Spa reached tea on a competitive 221 for eight.

Himley made a promising start led by Bahle Mhlanga, whose 63 was the cornerstone of the hosts’ response.

Leamington’s bowlers kept chipping away, however, and despite a late charge from Arun Bhogal (31), Himley were always behind the rate, closing on 205 all out.

Tom Davison took two wickets, made two catches and also effected a run out.