Devatwal class sees off Wellington again…
Whilst Dan departs after a narrow Quatt loss…
By Jamie Dowley
Allscott Heath signed off their most successful ever season as the 6th ranked team in the Shropshire pyramid with a 118 run thumping of Champions Wellington, after another Kuldeep Devatwal masterclass. Batting first the hosts were soon in trouble with young seamers Ollie Smith (2-19) and Hugh Morris (4-28) striking with the new ball to reduce Allscott to 77-7 but with Devatwal still at the crease they were still in the game. The Indian pro then produced a superb 140 run partnership with Matthew Hutchings (18) who played an excellent supporting role as Devatwal cut loose. His 119 ball innings included 11 fours and 10 sixes, as he departed eventually for 142, his side ending on 225-9 off 40 overs. The champions then had a rare off day with the bat as they lost wickets throughout the reply, being dismissed for 107 in 29 overs, Brian Mudzinganyama top scoring with 32, while the wickets were shared for Allscott. Callum Starling with 3-28 and Jason Summers with 3-15 the pick while the Thornton brothers shared 4 scalps too.
Callum Starling “ We are very happy with the season and to do the double over the champions says a lot about where we are as a team. The club keeps moving forward and we will look to improve again in 2026”. On whether Devatwal will return next season? “ He’s done ok this year so we might have him back!. We are in discussions with him let’s see what happens”
Dan Vaughan “What can one say, Kuldeep batted unbelievably and he’s hell of a player !”
The only other match completed was between Quatt and Whitchurch, both sides keen to finish disappointing campaigns on a high, with Quatt knowing they could end in the top half for the first time this year with a win in a match that saw Dan Bowen announce this would be his last as captain and regular player.
Alex Heath is pushing for a place in the Team of the Year and the young quick struck early with the 2nd ball of the match bowling Chris Miller for a duck , while at the other end Kash Hussain has had a solid season and here he helped reduce Quatt to 32-5, taking 3-20. At 84-9 the visitors were massively in the box seat but numbers 10 and 11, Stuart Walters and Jed Edwards combined to put on a 51 run partnership that would ultimately prove crucial, Edwards top scoring with 25 and Walters making 22no as the innings ended on 135.
Whitchurch openers Hasnain and Robinson were off to a solid start putting on 41 up top but then it started to go wrong with Alfie Oakes striking four times as they were reduced 79-6. Shaf Ahmed was joined by Dan Bowen could they see it home? Well they put on 41 and at 120-6 needed 16 for the win, but then they were quickly blown away for 124 as Edwards completed a fine match with 2-17 to give Quatt the win in a match that for large parts they were behind the eight-ball. Whitchurch finished 9th and if ever a game was a microcosm of an entire season this was it.
Dan Bowen “Its been an emotional couple of years, amazing achievement to win the league last year against the odds, but a very tough season this time, lots of things not going our way but I’m proud of the team for sticking together, and we have given some of our young talent like Alex Heath and Ollie Dyson opportunities and they have done very well. The players have been great for me, hopefully I will still turn out occasionally but have a lot of family and work commitments now so it won’t be every week”
Winning captain Alex Biddle on Quatts top half finish: “Great season”
The 3rd and final game to see any cricket played was at Church Street where St Georges had reached 58-4 against Newtown with Mo Raheel Khattak going well on 36no when rain forced an abandonment. Sam Baugh continued his fine form with 2-2 to put him in contention for a place in the team of the year.
The matches between Sentinel and Ludlow, Shelton and Wem, and Madeley and Bridgnorth were abandoned without a ball bowled, which makes a total of only 4 games cancelled in the whole of the division this season, possibly an all time low in what has been a fantastic year weather wise.
So that’s a wrap on the 2025 Premier Division season. Coming next week is a team by team analysis and then my official Premier Team of the Year. The 11th year of doing this and by far the trickiest to select.
