Welshpool, Monty beaten but Guilsfield shine

16/06/2021 @ 10:53

Montgomery’s struggles continued as they slumped to the bottom of the Henshalls Shropshire League Division Two following a nine-wicket defeat at home to Sentinel II.

Put into bat, Montgomery had Andrew Barker (41) to thank for reaching 117 all out, but it was never going to be enough as the visitors leapfrogged Monty with victory in the 32nd over.

Welshpool’s mid-order collapsed in their Division Three run chase at promotion chasing Wellington III, who had set them a target of 159-9. Mat Mcwhinnie (3-40) was the pick of the ‘Pool bowling attack.

Despite openers Dan Pritchard (43) and Patrick Davies (21) setting them off on the right track, the reply came to an abrupt halt on 130 in the 36th over. The defeat leaves Welshpool hovering just above the bottom two.

Dan Brown and Sam Griffiths sparkled in the Much Wenlock sunshine to move Guilsfield & Llandrinio back to the top of the Henshalls Shropshire League Division Five table.

Brown took 4-19 from eight overs to limit the hosts to 125-9 from their allotted 40, while Griffiths, with an unbeaten century under his belt last week, rattled up another 76 not out to see the villagers home in the 22nd over for the loss of just two wickets.

It was a fine run chase by Newtown II as they bounced back to form with a Division Five win at Alberbury II, who had made 169-6 after deciding to bat.

Ian Hancocks (35) and Adam Knight (33) were the main contributors as Newtown reached victory in the 33rd over with six wickets down.

A shortage of runs brought Newtown’s downfall as they fell to a 24-run defeat at Bridgnorth in Division One.

Dave Anthony’s blistering spell of 4-28 from nine overs gave Newtown a fighting chance as the hosts were dismissed for 161.

But John Anthony’s top score of 27 was never going to be enough as Newtown struggled to build a winning partnership and were reduced to 137 all out.

Llanidloes kept the pressure on at the top of Division Six with a comfortable win at Division Six strugglers Llileshall II, to stay second.

Spinner, Adrian Foulkes, took 3-54 as the hosts set a decent target of 168-8 for Llanidloes to think about, but runs are not something Llani have been short of this season as Will Denham (81no), Rob Davies (39) and Foulkes (30) saw them home with eight wickets to spare.

Tom Corfield’s 89 not out was in vain as his Montgomery II side suffered a four-wicket defeat at Coton Hall in a Division Six mid-table tussle.

Monty had posted a respectable 186-6 from their 40 overs, but the hosts sailed to victory with plenty of overs and wickets to spare.

Callum Preston (52), Dale Evans (47) and John Bills (35) were all in form as Welshpool II posted a big total of 204-7 at home to Quayside in Division Seven.

Dan Cadwallader (3-23) then led the attack as the visitors were dismissed for just 75.

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