Henshalls Div One

Alberbury 173-1 beat Lilleshall 172 all out by nine wickets

MIKE Crawshaw starred with bat and ball as Alberbury trounced Lilleshall by nine wickets in the first division of the Henshalls Shropshire League.

Crawshaw (2-5) helped restrict the hosts to 172 for Alberbury to chase before carrying his bat with an unbeaten knock of 73 to guide his side to victory.

A 40 run opening wicket stand came to an end for Lilleshall with James Gant caught by Mark Jones off James Bird (1-35) for 14 with replacement Ed Keenan promptly dispatched, caught by Crawshaw off James Harrap for seven.

Tom Mackriel (25) was joined by Oli Todd in a 31 run third wicket partnership before being caught by Jones off Oliver Corbett who completed his 2-40 by catch and bowling Todd for 22.

Paul Bainbridge and Alan Walker combined in a 30 run fifth wicket stand, pushing the hosts to 119-5 when Bainbridge was caught by Andrew Wynne off Preston Fletcher (1-26) for 17.

Lilleshall suffered a total collapse as Harrap (2-29) ran out Connor Steele (6) and bowled Adam Copsey (16) before Mark Jones (1-18) toppled Walker (30) and Crawshaw claimed Charlie Conquest for a duck to reduce the hosts to 133-9.

Last wicket defiance and loose bowling yielded a 39 run stand between Ian Sawes (7no) and Callum Steele (2) before the latter fell to Crawhsaw leaving Lilleshall defending 172.

Crawshaw was joined by Charles Bourne in a 103 opening wicket stand to lay the foundations for victory.

Bourne included eight fours in his supporting knock before departing to Connor Steel (1-35) for 48.

Crawshaw (73no) was joined by Jones (26no) in finishing the job with an unbroken second wicket partnership to guide their side to 173-1 in the 38th over.