Shropshire Premier Division

Whitchurch are up-and-running in the Shropshire Premier Division after they squeezed home by two wickets against St Georges on Saturday.

Skipper Daniel Bowen won the toss and he backed his bowlers to restrict their hosts to a target that could be chased down, and he was rewarded when St Georges were reduced to 0-1 and then 5-2 as Nadeem Ahmad struck early.

However, a third-wicket partnership of 54 gave the hosts a platform to kick-on but skipper Chris Miller was caught by Salim Ahmed off Elliott Bowen's bowling for 31 while Rory Livingstone was next out for the same score.

Jamie Griffiths gave St Georges hope of victory as he plodded his way to a half-century from 79 balls with five fours and a six.

But he was running out of partners as Elliott Bowen took a second wicket and Ijaz Yousaf removed three St Georges batsman as they were bowled out for 158 after 44 overs.

Ahmad finished with figures of 3-24 from nine overs while Vansh Bajaj picked up 1-39 from 13 overs – skipper Bowen finished wicketless.

In reply, Whitchurch made a solid start as they quickly reached 18-1 before Ahmed was out for six from 18 balls.

But Matthew Batkin and Josh Kirk finally found some form as a top-order pair as they put on a second-wicket partnership of 45 before Kirk was bowled by Livingstone for 22 from 49 balls.

However, Kirk's dismissal sparked a mini-collapse as Batkin followed on 70-3, Bajaj (four) to make it 74-4 before Yousaf's dismissal 12 from 15 balls lefty Whitchurch struggling on 89-5.

But it went from bad to worse for Daniel Bowen's men as Simon Dimelow and Ahmad both went first ball to Ben Byram as he completed a rare hat-trick to leave Whitchurch rocking.

St Georges scented victory but Whitchurch arrested their slide in fine style as Elliott Bowen and Ed Watson-Jones put on 66 for the eighth-wicket to take the game away from their hosts..

Elliott missed out on seeing his side through to the end after he was bowled by Griffiths for 34 from 65 balls with four fours as he grafted to give his side victory by two wickets.

Meanwhile, the second XI failed to make it a double for Heath Road as they were well-beaten by Wellington's fourth XI on Saturday.

Batting first, only Jack Giddings was able to show any fight as he reached 24 – they only players to reach double figures as Whitchurch were bowled out for 64 in the 27th over.

Alex Brasenall's 55 not out meant Wellington raced to their target inside 13 overs to earn a 10-wicket win while on Sunday, the third XI beat Bridgnorth by four wickets.