Monty knocking on promotion door

Montgomery will travel to Ellesmere on Saturday just 30 points behind the Shropshire Division Two league leaders after the Lymore club beat Shrewsbury III, and the Meresides saw their game abandoned for rain.

The crunch tie at the top of the table could see Montgomery close the gap to single figures for the first time this year having already reduced the deficit by 10 points on Saturday courtesy of an eight wicket victory against Shrewsbury Thirds.

Having already beaten Shrewsbury by 246 runs earlier in the season Montgomery entered the field full of confidence, but this time the Salopians made a much better fist of play and set the home side a total of 112 runs to win from 35 overs.

In reply, Montgomery got off to a steady start as openers Thomas Corfield (17) and Andrew Barker (27 not out) laid a solid platform before Aaron Ruff-Cock sealed the victory with an unbeaten 31 off 21 balls, which included two sixes and twice as many fours.

A superb bowling performance from Joe Monk secured vital points for Welshpool at home to Albighton in Shropshire Division Two.

Monk ripped through the top order by taking 5-37 as Albrighton, chasing Welshpool’s 176 all out, fell well short on 80. Earlier Nick Davies top scored for the hosts with 31. 

Newtown were sucked into the bottom two after losing at Premier League relegation rivals Frankton in a rain-interrupted game.

After deciding to bat, a middle order charge from Jack Morris (50) and skipper Sam Cooke (34) saw the visitors through to 210 all out.

The rain came in the second innings with the target revised down to 197, proving comfortable for Frankton who reached it with plenty of wickets and overs to spare.

Guilsfield lost for the second week running in Division Four after being set 285-4 to chase at Column. They had a go at it with Dave Lewis (60), Jordan Evans (29) and Dave Court (27no) all in the runs but they eventually ran out of overs on 224-7.

Llanidloes suffered too after Coton Hall set them a healthy target of 235-4 to chase, but they could only muster 139.

In Shropshire Reserve Division One, Montgomery II lost to Wem Seconds by 10 wickets despite making 167 off 40 overs.

Richard Jones and Charlie Kinsey put on a 58-run partnership when they entered the crease in the tenth over before being dismissed in quick succession for 17 and 26 respectively. 

This saw youngster Lennon Bryan enter the crease with 12 overs to go and by using his feet to full affect he managed to manipulate the ball into the gaps and across the boundary ropes to finished unbeaten on 46. He was well supported by Jonathan Williams before running himself out on 14.

In reply, Montgomery were unable to bag a wicket as openers Rhys Mellings (71 not out) and Oliver Cooper (70 not out) ran well between the wickets to secure victory with six overs remaining.

The defeat leaves Monty rooted to the bottom of the league, 21 points adrift of nearest rivals Knockin and Kinnerley.

Newtown II are just five points off the top of Reserve Division Two after a 59-run victory against Willey II.

Dai Brown (84no) and Sam Morris (87no) partnered for a cracking stand that saw Newtown through to 196-1, allowing Alan Jones (3-21) and his colleagues to restrict the visitors to 137-9.

Welshpool II made it a clean sweep for the town teams with a 54-run win at Allscott III.

Veterans Greg Jones (54) and Dave Whitehouse (46) featured as Pool reached 196-6, before Rupert Redway took 5-15 to limit the hosts to 144-9.