Solihull Blossomfield 188 for 7 in 48 overs (Millard 5-1-13-0, Nabeel 5-0-13-0, Aman 12-2-41-1, Brown 7-1-45-1, Williams 12-1-40-0, Jattin 7-1-24-3)
Kings Heath 189 for 4 in 31.3 overs Jattin Patel 13 Kasim Abbas 80 Bernard O'Connor 0 Sam Crocker 2 Adnan Ali 56* Chris Crocker 10* Did not bat: Nabeel Ahmed, Sean Brown, Aman Khan, Josh Williams, Stuart Millard FOW: 52 53 69 157
KINGS HEATH WON BY 6 WICKETS
The onset of rain meant this was a reduced overs game, Solihull Blossomfield batting first for 48 overs against a third team bowling attack. Opening bowlers Stuart Millard and Nabeel Ahmed were ineffective whilst leading spinners Josh Williams and Aman Khan struggled; the foursome only taking a single wicket between them from 34 overs toil. Thankfully Sean Brown took a key scalp before a devastating spell from part time off spinner Jattin Patel snared three Blossomfield batsmen, alongside two run outs. Bernard and Josh both spent time during the innings as wicketkeepers, and Chirs Crocker was particularly notable for his exceptional fielding. After their 48 overs the Blossomfield total stood at an unlikely and imposing 189 to win in only 34 overs, due the to intermittent rain showers which forced the players off the field reducing Kings Heaths’ allocation. Kasim Abbas and Jattin Patel opened the batting with the required rate at 5.56 runs per over. Jattin contributed only 13 runs in a solid opening stand of 52 before his dismissal. Number three Bernard O’Connor fell for a duck and Sam Crocker was extracted for only a couple, leaving Kings Heath struggling in a precarious position of 69 for 3. However Adnan Ali and Kasim combined to add a superb 88 run partnership and drag the side up to 157, both players making their maiden fifties for Kings Heath. Kasim’s innings was full of exquisite drives and clinical pull and cut shots from anything short, but he fell for an extremely well constructed 80 with a hundred in sight; leaving Adnan (56*) and Chris Crocker (10*) to drag Kings Heath past the winning post with 15 deliveries remaining. Adnan’s innings was fully deserved, complete with maturity and composure, built in a solid manner which allowed the match changing partnership to blossom and effectively seal victory. Adnan had come close to finishing the game several times before during the season, notably with 44 in a tied Sunday game away at Aldridge, and a devastating unbeaten 49 in a six run defeat against Five Ways Old Eds; but on this occasion he had obviously learnt from his past experiences, and finally carried his team to a critical win.
