2025 Premier Division Round Up Week 17
By Jamie Dowley
Devatwal at the Double !...
While Wellington can plan for the play offs..
Kuldeep Devatwal took his stellar season to another level as he struck only the 4th double hundred in Premier Division history (*Martyn Davies, Chris Lewis and Maz Hasnain the others ), as his Allscott Heath side demolished Shelton by 192 runs in the county town. After Jason Summers (24) and Luke Thornton (53) had helped the Indian Pro reach his century with the score on 208-4 with 12 overs to go, it scarcely seemed believable that he would go on to double his personal total and push the team onto a mammoth 360-7 off 50 overs. His 2nd century came off just 35 balls with the last 50 coming in just 13 as he smashed the home bowling all around the ground finishing on 204, Austin Rowley also enjoying himself with a rapid if less consequential 35. All the Shelton attack took some serious tap but Simon Jones still managed 5-89 and the question of whether the hosts could mount a stubborn rearguard was soon answered in the reply as Luke Thornton (3-54) and Callum Starling (4-60) struck early. There was some resistance from the lower order, Sam Griffiths top scoring with 36, Muhammed Jahangir making 29 and Jones plundering 28no but it was all to no avail as Summers wrapped up the game with 2-14. Allscott continued their fine season while Shelton have gone rather beachy in recent games.
Wellington can start planning for a busy post regular season after they saw off nearest rivals Ludlow in somewhat nervy fashion at the Burway. It had all looked so comfortable for Dan Vaughan’s side after the home team were reduced to 39-6 including Luke Miles getting out to the first ball of the match (how many times has this now happened across the SCCL this season?) to the impressive Hugh Morris (pictured) but while Jason Oakes was still batting, anything was possible and he was able once again to manoeuvre the lower order to a score of 160ao scoring a fine 87 himself, and number 8 Jack Condiffe adding 28. Morris ended with season best figures of 5-29, the former Pontesbury junior is really improving as the year develops. The Wellington reply seemed comfortable enough and at 97-2 with Brian Mudzignyama and Matt Simmonds they looked home and hosed but once the former departed for 31 and the latter for 43, the wobbles set in. Joe Williams (3-44) and Miles (3-38) suddenly sniffed victory and at 141-7 it was game on but when you have a batsman like Josh McDonald (who would surely get in any other top 3 in the league?) coming in at 7, it’s a huge bonus and the man with nerves of steel saw his side over the line with 18no with 2 wickets left.
So with 5 games to go it’s a 54 point lead and another title will be heading to Orleton Park barring a minor miracle
Newtown captain Ben Price arrived in the SCCL this season with a fine reputation as a classy opening bat and he produced a 2nd century of the season as his side completed a magnificent double over Wem at Soulton Rd. The hosts were missing Alex Ollerenshaw and struggled to contain Price although skipper Jim Astley took 3-71 off 14 overs. Price found a strong ally in young Griff Davies, the Shropshire U18 all rounder hit his highest score of the season with 63, as another youngster Ralph Davies again bowled well with 3-59 from a mammoth 15 over spell. The Welshmen would have been delighted with a score of 252-9, and were cock-a-hoop when David Laird struck early to remove Sam Peate and pro Karabo Magotsi. Dangerman Harry Chandler was playing a watchful knock but when he was adjudged LBW for 37, the Wem run chase fell away, spinners Nathan Smith (3-31) and Marco Malan (3-15) closing out the game for a superb 108 run win and 24 points.
That win for Newtown would not have been well received at Park Street and these are worrying times for Madeley with five games to go as they came up short against neighbours St Georges. The Dragons batted first and made 197ao leaving 8 overs unutilised and Faizan Khan will have been no doubt disappointed to run out of partners as Martin Boyle came back to wrap up the innings with 4-51, leaving the overseas pro stranded on 64no at number 4 . In reply the 11th placed side were soon reduced to 22-3 and despite 38 from Imran Yousef, they could never mount a serious challenge, subsiding to 132ao as both Faisal Khan and Mo Raheel Khattak shared 6 wickets apiece. Georges ending the season strongly while Madeley are now more than a win from safety with what looks a maximum of 2 relegation places.
Whitchurch made the long trek to south-east Shropshire knowing a win at Bridgnorth would more or less secure their Premier status for 2026, and openers Maz Hasnain and Mike Robinson gave them a dream start putting on 127 for the first wicket. When the latter departed for a season's best 66, Hasnain carried on plundering runs, but just failed to make back to back hundreds as he made 97. Thereafter the innings subsided with Jed Schwarzbach taking 4-59, and Peter Scott 4-55 as the away side totalled 216-9 from their 300 balls. That still looked a tricky chase for Mark McPherson-Lees side against the reigning champions quality bowling unit but with Dan Bowen absent, stand in captain Shaf Ahmed gave the new ball to leggie Shabbir Khan and it proved an inspired decision as he and Alex Heath each struck to reduce the hosts to 16-3. Despite Scott making a quickfire 67 it was then over to Kash Hussain and once again his middle innings spell proved productive as he took 4-35 as the home innings ended on 158ao with 6 overs left to give Whitchurch the 24 points and leave Bridgnorth with a massive struggle to stay in the division with 5 weeks to go.
Finally, Quatt are starting to find some form at the back end of the season, this time emerging comprehensive 9 wicket winners at Sentinel who had a bad day at the office. Batting first, the hosts laboured to 166-8 off 50 overs, with James Shaw top scoring with 62, while Alex Johnson (21) and Harry Thomas (25) also chipped in; for the vistors Scott Furber was in fine form for Quatt with 5-47, and captain Alex Biddle gained 2 victims. Chris Miller and Tom Whitney put on 57 for the first wicket in the reply and after Miler departed for 25, Whitney stepped on the gas racing to a season best 87no with Alex Starr there at the end unbeaten on 28 for a 9 wicket win achieved a ball shy of the mid innings drinks interval. Biddle’s side leapfrog Sentinel with that win and with 5 games to go could reel a few more sides in yet.
It's derby day next week as Sentinel host Shelton while Whitchurch and Wem face off in contests that always hard fought and sometimes feisty affairs..
