WEM Cricket Club first XI’s victorious captain has spoken of his pride in his players after they sealed their passage to the Birmingham and District League on Saturday.

Sam Peate’s men lost to Pelsall in the third of the three play-off round-robin matches – with one win and a winning draw – but on taking their fifth wicket of the visiting innings, Wem sealed promotion to the step above after winning the Shropshire League for the second consecutive time.

And Sam admitted he enjoyed the celebrations long into the weekend but acknowledged the unusual experience of having to carry on playing once the all-important second point had been sealed.

“Sunday was a long day,” said the Wem skipper, who has opened the innings for the last two months, playing a vital role.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved and of my lads.

“It’s not just this year but it’s over the last two years as we’ve been champions of Shropshire two years running and now promotion.

“We have got exactly what we’ve deserved as we’ve been the best team during that period.

“I’m delighted to be there in the Birmingham League and am proud of how we’ve done it.

“We just needed to get them five wickets down as that was needed to get our two points to secure the promotion, and then we started celebrating in the middle.

“It was very much job done – it was very strange to actually achieve promotion in the middle of the game as it usually happens afterwards but I’m so proud.

“But then we settled down and we wanted to finish the job [in the game] but then we just fell short.

“But in the end, the result was irrelevant and we’re so happy.”

The club’s second XI were also victorious in the Shropshire Cricket League Division Five, capping off a fine season for Wem.