Saturday saw Bank return to Worcestershire Premier Cup Group B action after a heavy defeat to Pershore last time out. This time we hosted Chaddesley Corbett who sat just 1 point below us in the table.
Bank won the toss and elected to bowl first with bad weather forecast for late in the afternoon.
Opening bowlers Dan Thomas and Tom Harris both started well, hitting good areas frequently. The Chaddesley batsmen were in an attacking mood though on a good flat Bank pitch. Despite bowling good areas, Chaddesley batsmen Mehmood and Ahmadzai were picking up a boundary or two per over.
This lead to the introduction of spin duo Dan Taylor and Josh Baker. The change in pace lead to an immediate change in fortunes as Taylor spun one through Ahmadzai playing an over ambitious swipe across the line. He was bowled for 30 with the score 57-1.
10 tight overs of spin frustrated the Chaddesley batsmen but they were solid in defence ensuring they kept wickets in hand for the later overs.
Opener Mehmood, started to ramp up the scoring and was the only Chaddesley batsman who really got going throughout the innings. He flew from 50 to his century in no time, but went no further when Josh Baker removed him with an absolute beauty. He made a well played 101.
When Tom Harris was reintroduced to the attack, things started to move on. The Chaddesley top 5 all made 20’s before departing to Harris, whose regular changes of pace - slow and even slower - was proving too skilful for the Chaddesley middle order.
Some good bowling and a lot of questionable shot choices in the last 8 overs meant that a well set up Chaddesley innings, which was 209-3 with 8 overs remaining petered out to just 238-9 from their 40 overs. With Harris picking up 5 wickets and Dan Thomas 2 wickets.
On a flat deck and rapid outfield at the Bank Bowl, 238 was never likely to be anywhere near enough for the visitors to defend.
Opening pair Tom Pedley and Rob West, who have been in excellent form, started well. They raced the score to 60 with minimal fuss but things were to change quickly when West and then Underhill departed before the score had reached 70.
Pedley and youngster Baker, formed a good partnership. A number of extras from the bowlers made scoring easier for the Bank batsmen. Pedley went to his 50 but was removed shortly after when he stepped too far across his stumps and was bowled around his leg by Ahmed.
A rain delay then followed shortly afterwards with Bank sat on 142-3. 8 overs of play were lost and the total required reduced to 189, giving Bank 8 overs to score 47. Baker, now joined by Sam Thomas started going berserk with the bat launching towering 6’s over long on. With Thomas ticking the strike over regularly and Bakers boundaries Bank reached their target with a couple of overs to spare. Baker made his first senior 50 in the process. Sam Thomas did perish to a good ball on 25 when the scores were level but Bank cruised to 20 points and a 6 wicket win.
Next week we travel to Chaddesley for the return fixture.
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