1st. XI v. Aston Manor
LOSING DRAW
On Saturday 24th. August, the 1st. XI hosted Aston Manor at our Warwick Road Ground in their Warwickshire County Cricket League Division 1 match in a crucial match as the season starts to draw to a close with only 4 matches left as they try to avoid relegation. Despite a late flurry of wickets the side hung on to draw the match which as a result now gives them a 9 point breathing space over the bottom two spots in the Division.
Kenilworth won the toss and asked Aston Manor to bat first, Zaman and Nevitt made a solid start to their side’s innings, putting on 68 for the first wicket, when Nevitt was bowled by Charlie Stranks for 32. Next man in Mohammed was then caught by Ahmed off the bowling by Connor Shingler for no score, the visitors 70 for 2. Ahmed then added 58 with opening bat Zaman for the third wicket, until Zaman was caught by Henry Curran off Connor Shingler for 46, 128 for 3. Ahmed was playing a strong hand for his side, finding the runs easy to come by, passing fifty as his side headed towards 200. Ahmed was finally out for a fine innings of 83, Aston Manor 213 for 4, Joe Atkinson having him caught by Connor Shingler. Najib with 34 not out and Khan with 11, who was run out by Matt Casey, saw their side to a decent 232 for 5 from their 50 overs.
For Kenilworth, Connor Shingler with 2 for 81 from 12 overs, Charlie Stranks with 1 for 36 from 12 tidy overs and a wicket for Joe Atkinson with 1 for 56, as the players headed off for tea.
The Kenilworth Openers, skipper Pete Magafas and Connor Shingler made a steady start, putting on 32 for the first wicket, before Magafas was caught off Mushtaq for 25 in the 9th over. Adie Sellar joined Shingler next, but Shingler was caught off Khan for 19, the home side now 52 for 2 in the 15th over, Sunny Ahmed was next man in, but he had made 8 when he was caught off Heider, Kenilworth under a bit of pressure on 67 for 3 in the 23rd over.
Tom Booker and Sellar began to get their side back into the game, as Kenilworth went past the 100 in the 31st over, in the next over though, Sellar was caught off Khan for 31. Henry Curran was out soon after, caught off Khan for 1, Kenilworth struggling now on 106 for 5 in the 34th over. Joe Atkinson and Tom Booker then put on a strong partnership of fifty together for sixth wicket in ten overs, before Booker was bowled by Mushtaq for a fine innings of 60 (4 x 4 and 1 x 6), Kenilworth 166 for 6 in the 44th over, Steve Rhodes was bowled by Mushtaq for 4, Matt Casey and Charlie Stranks fell in the 49th over to Ahmed, Kenilworth now 184 for 9, last man in Ben Maney and Joe Atkinson had one over to survive, they did Atkinson ending 26 not out, Kenilworth finished on 184 for 9 from their fifty overs, Kenilworth achieving the losing draw with a couple of added points for getting in excess of the 75% total that Aston Manor had posted. For Aston Manor, Mushtaq and Khan took three wickets each.
Aston Manor 232-5 (50 overs) (Connor Shingler 2-81, Joe Atkinson 1-56, Charlie Stranks 1-36 and a run out) (18 points) drew with Kenilworth 184-9 (50 overs) (Tom Booker 60) (9 points).
Side are now 9 points clear of the relegation spots as they remain in 10th. place but are now 31 points behind 9th. place. 3 games left. All to play for.
