Shifnal survive after derby win
Shifnal guaranteed their survival in Birmingham League Division One with a six-wicket victory over county rivals Wellington.
Jack Edwards’s unbeaten 86 from 83 balls romped Shifnal to victory despite the best efforts of Worcestershire bowler Jack Shantry (4-26).
Victory secures their place in Division One for next season but leaves Wellington needing one more win from the remaining two games to stay up.
Visitors Wellington won the toss and elected to bat, but Alex Riley (3-18) took the early wickets of Sam Lloyd, Dan Vaughan, and Neil Edwards to leave them struggling on 19-3.
Charlie Home (3-20) then got in on the act as Wellington captain Wendell Wagner fell for a duck.
Dan Lloyd (29) and Shantry (13) took the score up to 63 before Home captured both of their wickets in the space of one run.
Wicket-keeper Charlie Mackleworth (28) and Steve Lamb (21) put on 40 for the eighth wicket but after they were dismissed, Wellington quickly fell to a paltry total of 136 all out.
Shifnal were in the box seat at the half way stage but they made a similarly poor start in reply, losing opener Steve Leach caught behind for one.
Shantry trapped Connor Dudley (12) lbw with the score on 45 and bowled Ross Aucott soon after to make it 53-3.
He bowled Jack McIver for a golden duck straight after to make it interesting at 54-4
But Edwards provided more resistance than any other batsman on the day, striking 11 fours and three sixes on his way to a match-winning knock of 86.
His unbeaten partnership of 83 with vice-captain Chris Murrall (30*) eased them over the line.
Mid-table Bridgnorth did Wellington a favour by easing to a seven-wicket victory over bottom side Walmley.
Jonathan Newis (59) and Michael Waugh (51) both scored half-centuries in a fifth-wicket partnership of 106 that took Walmley to a total of 250-7.
Bridgnorth skipper Sam Whitney took 3-60 to take his tally of wickets to 55 for the year but it was an unbeaten 102 from Simon Gregory that included eight fours and six sixes from 83 balls that proved decisive for Brignorth.
David Exall (46 not out) and Ian Gregory (43) also chipped in with useful runs.
The victory leaves Bridgnorth in fifth, 37 points behind the top two.
