STRETTON recovered from the previous weekend’s feeble batting performance, but had to settle for a winning draw in Division 2 of the FBC Manby Bowdler Shropshire League when the home side batted out time, finishing just 12 runs short of their target.

Peter Lee was the star performer, making an unbeaten 89 with the bat to rescue a desperate start to their innings, along with Ed Smith (74), and following up with three wickets in the second innings.

􀁪 Bishop’s Castle recorded a 54-run win to maintain their bright start to the season. Castle scored 202 and then bowled Iscoyd and Fenns Bank out for 148 with five overs to spare.

Andrew Lewis (43) Richard Plant (28), Rhys Davies (38) and Jake Cintra (35) plus 37 extras accounted for the majority of Castle’s runs. Mark Griffiths (3- 41), Simon Palmer (2-25) and Plant (2-10) did the damage with the ball.

􀁪 Corvedale are another side in prime form. They maintained their good start in Division 3 with a comfortable seven-wicket win over St Georges 3rd at Millichope Park.

They bowled Saints out for just 96 in 20.4 overs, with the visitors'

opener making an astonishing 64 of their runs. After losing two cheap wickets, Corvedale reached their target in 20.1 overs, with Ian Simmons (20) and Ed Riley (28) offering support to the in-form Richard Nedic who made a faultless 41not out.

Har ry Aldrige (7-14 off six overs) was the star bowler, with Johny Hill also claiming two cheap wickets.

􀁪 Ludlow 3rd hung on for a losing draw at Welshpool 2nd in Division 5.

14 year-old James Gerritse (5- 25) helped restrict Welshpool to 188-8, but the visitors finished on 133-7, 56 runs short of their target. Richard Powell made a half-century, but created some of the problems by running out two of his colleagues.

􀁪 Bishop's Castle 2nd pulled off a narrow two-wicket win at St Georges 4th thanks to the allround contribution of Paul Cottrell. Cotterall took four wickets to help bowl St Georges out for 178, and then made 47 to help lay the platform for Peter Griffiths (38 no) to seal the win.