CRICKET: MARSTON Green kept hopes of promotion to Division Two of the Warwickshire Cricket League alive following a four wicket win at home to Atherstone Town.
The game was shortened to 43-overs-a-side following heavy rain the night before.
Sensing an opportunity to pick up some valuable league points, Marston skipper Nikki Meek won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Atherstone made a bright start as openers Adam Clements and Jack Smith both reached double figures before Smith (11) was bowled while the score stood at 19.
Callum Wordsworth then joined Clements in the middle to advance the score to 74 before Clements (32) was dismissed.
From there, the visiting side failed to gather momentum – and a frustrated Wordsworth (79*) watched six of his partners disappear as Atherstone were quickly reduced from a comfortable 74/2 to 163/8.
Only tailender Simon Wordsworth could reach double figures as he hit 10 in an otherwise uninspiring performance from Atherstone’s middle order.
Set a target of 164 to win, Marston Green quickly set about chasing their target down.
Opener Mo Khan set the tone for the home side’s innings by hitting an unquestionable 92.
Marston’s innings wasn’t all plain sailing though as Khan had to watch top order batsmen Sumit Sharma (14), Rajnish Dohal (0), Sami Khan (2), and Richard Walker (9) depart cheaply.
At 87/4, Ishmael Hussain helped provide some sustainability to Marston’s innings with a knock of 14 before he was caught off the bowling of Wordsworth.
Khan then departed before Oliver McMullen (10*) and Jamie Johnson (3*) hit the winning runs to earn the home side a much needed victory if they are to challenge for the league title.
