Derby Drama for Welshpool

Welshpool Cricket Club fought out a nail biting tie at Montgomeryshire rivals Llanidloes in the Shropshire League Division One.

Electing to bowl, Welshpool restricted Llanidloes to 125 all out in 39 overs with Dave Frost taking 3-34. But with the game heading into the last over, Llanidloes bowler Simon Jones kept it tight, restricting Welshpool to 125-7.

Rupert Shingler top scored with 34 and Phil Lewis chipped in with a steady 23 but it wasn’t quite enough for Dale Evans’s men.

In Division Four, Montgomery II suffered an eight-wicket defeat at home to Harcourt who reduced the hosts to 99 all out. David Thomas (28) and John Barker (18) top scored for Monty but Steve Own (5-34) made life hard. Harcourt cruised to victory for two wickets off 27 overs.

In Division Five, Welshpool II returned empty handed from Willington IV.

Liam Monk (4-40) and Steve Monk (3-25) combined to skittle the hosts out for 131, but Tom Masters (4-37) cut into the Welshpool batting with only Ryan Davies (44) and Liam Monk (21) making any serious headway.

Second placed Guilsfield’s bid for promotion from Division Six took a massive dent after losing at home to third-placed Condover III, who stepped above them with two games remaining.

Dan Brown followed up his maiden hundred last week with 51 and Aled Lloyd made 21 as Guilsfield set a meager target of 125. It was nip and tuck all the way to the pen-ultimate over as Condover limped over the finish line and into second place in the league. Graham Stroud took 4-26 but captain Sam Griffiths conceded “we were 20 runs short”.