Ludlow 199 Shelton 195-6

LUDLOW ended their two-match losing sequence - but it was touch and go with Shelton requiring a six off the final ball to win this rain-curtailed Marston’s Shropshire County Premier League match at The Burway.

Facing a batsman who had already taken 43 off just 15 balls, youngster Louis Watkins held his nerve and clean bowled Shaun Davies to secure a losing draw for his side.

Ludlow lost the toss and were in trouble when they lost a wicket first ball.

Sam Edwards kept the scoreboard ticking over while his partners dug in, but then he was out for 32 to make the score 49-3.

The situation got worse as four more quick wickets fell to make the score 89-7. Rob Genner was unperturbed and scored at a run-a-ball and, with support from Will Gough and then Watkins, took the score on to 175 before he was the ninth man out with the score on 175, having scored 82 off 91 balls with 11 fours and two sixes.

Watkins (25 no) and Dave Proctor (13) added what turned out to be 24 crucial runs before the final wicket fell off the penultimate ball of the 50- over innings.

Rain interrupted play after 12 overs of the Shelton innings. The umpires gauged that there was just enough time to get in the required 35 overs to constitute a match.

Ben Mathews (41) and Manrich Kotze (45 no) easily passed the winning draw target and, with Davis in full flow, a win looked likely. Davis finished with 43 off 16 balls (five fours and three sixes), while Watkins claimed 4-71 for Ludlow.

􀁥 Ludlow 2nd went down by 68 runs at Shelton. Simon Miles took 5-53 to restrict Shelton to 233-9, but Dylan Grinker (40) and Mitchell Jordan (19) were the only two batsmen to prosper as Ludlow were bowled out for 165.

􀁥 Ludlow 3rd held on for a losing draw against visiting Quayside.

Left-arm spinner Phil Scott (5-49) and James Ger ritse (3-28) held Quayside to 191-9 but half-centuries from Tom Prince and Adam Bowen failed to see Ludlow home.

They finished on 158-9, 34 runs short of their target.