Leamington overcome Wellington to ease Division One relegations fears

Leamington made the journey to Shropshire to face rock-bottom Wellington and came away with a vital win to bolster their hopes of escaping relegation from Birmingham league Division One.
Leamington 2nds bowler Paul Lawrence sends down a delivery to Wardens' Eian Marillier.Leamington 2nds bowler Paul Lawrence sends down a delivery to Wardens' Eian Marillier.
Leamington 2nds bowler Paul Lawrence sends down a delivery to Wardens' Eian Marillier.

With rain around, Wellington won a crucial toss and asked Leamington to bat.

The Spa side’s frailties were exposed once again as Steve Brooks snapped up two quick wickets.

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Skipper Jon Wigley, batting at number four, dropped anchor, but found little support from the middle order.

Leamington 2nds bowler Tom Warner is congratulated by wicketkeeper James Williams after completing the over which saw off Kenilworth Wardens 2nds Tom Brammer.  Pictures: Morris TroughtonLeamington 2nds bowler Tom Warner is congratulated by wicketkeeper James Williams after completing the over which saw off Kenilworth Wardens 2nds Tom Brammer.  Pictures: Morris Troughton
Leamington 2nds bowler Tom Warner is congratulated by wicketkeeper James Williams after completing the over which saw off Kenilworth Wardens 2nds Tom Brammer. Pictures: Morris Troughton

Wendell Wagner took two wickets in two balls and Leamington were looking all at sea with the score on 62 for seven.

Fortunately, Wigley now found an ally in Nabeel Asghar and gradually they hauled Leamington back into the match.

Asghar was the more attacking of the two with his 44 including two sixes and the pair added 89 before Brooks (3-32) returned to dismiss Asghar.

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Wagner (4-24) removed the last two Leamington batsmen, with Wigley undefeated after making a patient 61 as the visitors were bowled out for 164.

Wellington’s problems with the bat are comparable to Leamington’s and the Shropshire outfit were soon eight for three, with Wigley claiming two wickets and William Mashinge one.

Dan Lloyd and Zahid Khan stopped the rot to an extent, taking the score to 56 before Lloyd was pinned lbw by Matt Davison for 21.

Asghar now came to the fore with the ball, dismissing Wagner and Khan to leave Wellington reeling on 68 for six.

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With rain in the air, Leamington were ahead of the game and despite a late flurry from James Flynn (23), Wellington were restricted to 113 for eight when the rain arrived in the 34th over.

The match was abandoned with Leamington 30 runs ahead on Duckworth-Lewis.

There were two wickets apiece for Wigley, Davison and Asghar, while Perry Derrick’s five overs yielded just three runs scored and earned him one wicket.

Leamington 2nds remain top of the 2nd XI Premier Division following a comfortable win at home to Kenilworth Wardens.

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Jack Hawkes asked Wardens to bat and was rewarded as the dangerous Gary Maynard (1) was bowled by the league’s leading wicket-taker Paul Lawrence.

The experienced Tom Brammer made just two before offering a catch off Tom Warner who then caught veteran Paul Henderson off Will Field for 15.

Eian Marillier found support from Jacob Bethell, taking the total to 95 before Nick Couzens dismissed Bethel for 27.

Keeper Jon Phillips soon followed but young Harry Butler gave Marillier welcome support in accumulating 20.

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Both fell to the returning Lawrence, with Marillier having made 68 as he and Warner mopped up the tail.

Lawrence earned the impressive figures of four for 30 and Warner three for 20 as Wardens folded to 177 all out.

In reply, Warner failed with the bat but Dave Hawkes showed patience at the top of the order, making 32 before being bowled by Maynard.

This left Sulaiman Hussain to take centre stage and he took the attack to Wardens, making 69 off only 50 balls as Leamington cantered towards the target before the expected rain.

Hussain fell to Henderson but Spa had plenty in hand as they eased to 180 for six with overs in hand.

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