Newtown 127 all out lost to
Shelton 129 for 7 by 3 wickets
NEWTOWN slipped to a three wicket defeat at Shelton to remain in the Shropshire Premier League relegation dogfight.
The visitors were inserted to bat but were soon in trouble, as Sam Griffiths (6-59) dominated.
Opener Dave Laird was caught for one by Jamie Martindale, while Tom Goodman was caught for a duck by Matt Morris off Griffiths, as Newtown struggled.
Steve Davies and Tom Foulkes offered top order resistance but where Sam Griffiths failed brother Steve Griffiths succeeded.
Davies was trapped LBW for 30, while Foulkes was caught for 20 by Mark Davies off Griffiths (2-28.)
Ricky Davies shone in the middle order with a top scoring 34, but the rest of the order fell to Sam Griffiths, who dominated in 16 overs.
Jordan Morris was bowled for a duck, while Ally Laird and Tony Springer also walked for meagre knocks.
Ricky Davies was finally snared LBW for 34 by Mark Davies (1-7), while Dave Anthony was bowled for four by Ross Griffiths (1-29.)
Sam Griffiths completed his six wicket haul with the removal of tailender Craig Davies, trapped LBW for 10, with Town left to defend 127.
Newtown faced a stiff challenge in reply, with Dave Anthony and Craig Davies leading the attack.
Davies bowled Shelton opener Mark Davies for 14, while Alan Jackson was caught for 14 by Steve Davies off Anthony.
The early wickets offered Newtown renewed belief, with Anthony in particular standing out in a superb display.
Anthony proceeded to tear through the Shelton order with his next victim Neil Salisbury, who was caught behind for seven by Foulkes.
The Anthony-Foulkes combination was once again successful as Ben Matthews was caught behind by the visiting wicketkeeper for 13.
Anthony bowled Ben Chambers for a duck, before Sam Griffiths was caught behind for 10 by Foulkes off Anthony (5-43.)
However Newtown were unable to dislodge middle order batsman Manrich Kotze, who guided his side to their target with an unbeaten half century.
Davies (2-65) completed his haul by trapping Martindale LBW for a duck to leave Kotze (51no) and Steve Griffiths (3no) to see Shelton home in the 36th over with in an unbroken eighth wicket stand.
* DAI Brown carried his bat with an unbeaten knock of 73, as Newtown IIs completed a nine wicket win at home to Shelton IIs in the Marston’s Shropshire Reserve League.
Chris Bound (4-18) was joined by Joe Davies (3-53) and Jonathan Davies (3-25) in limiting Shelton to 127 with Steve Jones (32) and Phil Davies (37) top scoring.
Brown (73no) was joined by Stuart Putson (45no) in seeing Newtown IIs to a comfortable victory in reply.