Old Hill remain very much in the Birmingham League Division One promotion hunt after a mixed Bank Holiday weekend.
But they are going to need more consistency over the final three games - starting with Saturday’s home cash with Wombourne - if they are to snatch one of the top two spots after a weekend in which exemplified their patchy recent form.
Nathan Round’s side were hammered by 172 runs at Brockhampton on Saturday before bouncing back to batter Evesham by ten wickets on Monday.
Old Hill won the toss on Saturday and chose to bowl on what appeared a damp track. But the hosts batsmen made light of the bowler friendly conditions and hammered the visitors attack to all parts of the ground as they ran up a formidable total of 255-8 wickets off 50 overs - with Adam Hewlett top scoring with 109.
The most successful Old Hill bowler was Ashfak Hussain with 3-95 from 15 overs.
In reply, the visitors’ openers got off to a slow start and opener Danny Cox (18) went on to top score as Old Hill were bowled out for a paltry 83.
That made Monday’s home game with Evesham a must-win and they duly did so. Bowling first again, Ed Denham struck in the first over to set the tone and despite a partnership of 58 between Paul Thomas (28) and George Rhodes (26), Evesham were skittled for 108 in 43 overs.
Denham, Hussain and Nigel Davenport all finished with three wicket hauls.
Openers Mike Hingley (36 not out) and Round (67 not out) wasted no time in chasing down the target in just 16.1 overs.
Halesowen are a win away from Division Two safety following a mixed Bank Holiday weekend.
Wes Griffiths’ side took 13 points from a winning draw at Bridgnorth on Saturday. After restricting the hosts to 178-9 from 53 overs, Hales reached the winning draw total and finished on 149-8 thanks in large part to a fine innings of 86 from overseas star Asif Khan.
Monday brought only the blues at Old Elizabethans as the bowling attack nearly pulled off the win.
After being bowled out for just 140, Dan Jeavons took 6-61 as the hosts scraped home by two wickets.
Halesowen host Stratford-upon-Avon this Saturday.
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