Leamington make quick work of Water Orton target to stretch lead at the top

After winning the toss, Water Orton made a positive start with opening pair Matthew Dawes and Sukhjit Singh putting on 63 in 12 overs.

Dawes was the first to fall, bowled by Grant Thornton having scored 43 off 39 balls, and from this point on Water Orton crumbled.

Only the stalwart Singh soldiered on, eventually falling for 22, caught at mid-on by captain Rob Williams off Faisal Khalid’s bowling.

That he lost five partners without reaching double figures was down to the off-spin of Nabeel Ashgar (five for 17 off 11 overs) and the continued threat of Thornton (three for 35 off ten).

Water Orton fell away to 112 all out in the 32nd over, with the experienced Lesroy Irish (11 not out) standing firm amid the carnage.

Irish continued to show his craft by taking the wicket of Leamington opener Shahbaz Alam (4) in the first over, caught behind.

Fellow opener Jonathan Wigley was joined by Ollie Currill (8) and they put on 49 before David Bailey (12) joined Wigley in taking the score to 75.

Wigley was finally dismissed for a valuable 43 and it was left to the fifth-wicket pairing of Lee Hopkins (25 off 27 balls) and Max Webber (21 off 14 balls) to finish the game with a flourish as Spa reached their target off just 27.4 overs.

A virtuoso from skipper Jason Butler was the outstanding feature of Leamington 2nds’ surprisingly comfortable defeat of Moseley on Saturday.

Batting first on a fast and true wicket, Leamington made a faltering start with only Steve Dyer and Manpreet Gill moving into double figures.

Dyer looked assured in making 20 before being adjudged lbw, while Gill scrambled to 19 before becoming the third victim of opener Shaukat Syed.

This allowed Butler to join Jack Hawkes and they set about steering Leamington to a competitive total.

Hawkes compiled a patient 43 as the pair added 110 for the fifth wicket.

Butler (73 not out) carved and pulled to great effect, well supported by Paul Lawrence (15) and Chris Calcott (13 not out) as Leamington closed on 219 for seven, a total which seemed 20 short of par on a belter of a wicket.

In truth, Leamington gave a mixed performance with the ball, but their good deliveries were sufficient to dismiss Moseley’s batters on a regular basis.

Paul Lawrence (3-31) took the first three wickets in a variable spell and then Butler joined in the fun as he tore through the middle order with his gentle cutters.

Jagdeep Khurana chipped in with two wickets before Butler claimed the prize scalp of Moseley’s Jugdip Nandra for 60, hastening Moseley demise for 142.

Butler finished with five for 32 from his 11 overs, while Khurana had figures of two for 46.