A HALF-CENTURY from Nivethan Radhakrishnan inspired Dorridge CC to a shock 85-run win against high-flying Smethwick.
Radhakrishnan’s half-ton helped Dorridge reach 242 all out at the John Woolman Ground.
And Dorridge then bowled title contenders Smethwick out for just 157 in 35 overs to claim just a second league win of the season.
The result means Dorridge sit 10th in the Birmingham Premier League Premier Division One table, three points clear of Harborne with the latter side in the relegation zone.
Smethwick won the toss and elected to field as Manraj Johal (2-44) took the wicket of Dorridge opener Daniyal Khan (14) in the seventh over.
However, Montcin Hodge (31) and Radhakrishnan (55) combined for a 67-run second-wicket stand as the latter enjoyed a 71-ball stint at the crease.
Johal returned to remove Hodge while Deepak Khatri (5-71) eventually bowled Radhakrishnan to leave Dorridge in a strong position on 123-3.
Sam Wood (26) added useful runs before he succumbed to the bowling of Sagar Udeshi (1-53) while Edward Thompson (7) fell cheaply to Khatri.
Ashish Chakrapani (42) and Imaad Mahmood (32) enjoyed a strong sixth-wicket stand which Khatri broke up with his third scalp.
Khatri removed Dorridge captain Joe Dodd (0) for a duck with the game’s next delivery while Warwickshire CCC bowler Tazeem Ali (2-33) had Chakrapani stumped.
A late burst from Adnaan Riaz (15) boosted Dorride’s total before Khatri took his fifth wicket while Ali took the wicket of Shayan Alam (3) to bring an end to the innings in the penultimate over.
Dorridge made early inroads with the ball as Riaz (3-14) accounted for Amir Khan (8) in the second over of Smethwick’s reply.
And Riaz also struck to remove Viken Kedariya (7) and Kashif Ali (1) while Wood (3-54) accounted for Isaac Mohammed (21) to leave Smethwick on 37-4.
Both Ali and Mohammed play for Worcestershire CCC as Dorridge removed two key players from Smethwick’s top order.
Khatri (26) and Bilal Shafayat (40) attempted a recovery effort with Ali (13) the only other Smethwick batter to reach double figures.
Thompson (1-16) removed Khatri while Radhakrishnan bowled Ali to leave the visitors on 118-6.
Wood returned to take the wicket of Gurbaj Singh (8) and also bowled Shafayat which sparked the beginning of the end for Smethwick.
Smethwick failed to add any further runs following Shafayat’s departure from the crease as Mahmood (2-5) accounted for Johal (5) and Udeshi (0) with the visitors all out for 157 in 34.5 overs.
Dorridge are next in action against Moseley on Saturday, June 27 with play to begin at 12pm (midday) at Streetsbrook Road.
