RICHARD Taylor bagged nine wickets for just six runs to stake his claim for a first-team place at Ludlow Cricket Club.

His devastating stint set up a comfortable eight-wicket win for Ludlow 2nd over Cound in Shropshire County League 2nd XI Division One.

Fresh from a spell travelling around Europe, the Herefordshire CCC 2nd team player shredded Cound’s line-up, leaving his batsmen just 76 runs to chase.

Ludlow needed just 14 overs to reach the target with Tim Goldthorp making 51 not out and opener Matthew Hayes chipping in with 11. Ludlow’s Jason Van Loggrenberg hit 88 and took 4-37 in a nine-wicket win over Cound in the Shropshire County Premier Division.

Will Sparrow (3-40) and Chris Ammonds (2-43) also helped hold bottom-placed Cound’s line-up to 151 while Ryan Lockley made 47no to the 18-over run chase.

Church Stretton’s Martin Nichols 98no inspired his side to a winning draw in Division Three against St Georges 3rd.

Nichols carried his bat, getting help from James Evans (20) and Peter Lee (16) only for a gritty innings by St Georges bowler Richard Sambrook (20no) to deny them victory. Thomas Crump snapped up 5-27.

Tom Pugh (118) hit his first century of the year and in-form bowler Jack Farrar took 6-59 as Tenbury 2nd lost a nail-biter against Redditch 2nd with just an over to play.

Sitting bottom of the table, Tenbury came agonisingly close to shocking the league leaders, following a commanding opening stand from Pugh and Chris Giles (43) that set up the 197-5 innings.

But, sparked by 61 from Umer Mahmood, Redditch got a gutsy 21no from number 10 Ashley Freeman to squeeze home in the Worcestershire League 2nd XI Division Two clash.

Bishops Castle’s James Aldridge also put in an impressive allround performance – however his six-wicket haul was not enough for a triumph over Willey in Division Two.

Aldridge’s 6-51 and Simon Palmer’s 2-53 held Willey to 196, but Castle collapsed to 28-7 and, despite Aldridge adding 30, they fell to a 117-run defeat.

In Division Four, Ludlow 3rd’s three-headed bowling attack decimated Bridgnorth 3rd – getting them all out for 61.

Courtney Cooper (3-11), Finlay Clarke 2-12 and Andrew Hillman (3-17) were ruthlessly efficient with the ball, before two more Hillmans – Robin and Daniel – each hit 28 for the 10-wicket victory.

A devastating five-over spell from Knighton-on-Teme’s John Griffiths (4-4) blew away Abergavenny Beavers’ in his side’s 34-run victory in the GB Liners Marches League Division Three.

Knighton made 170, with solid innings’ from Richard Grosvenor (36) and Jack Kitchen (30) before Griffiths and Dan Pullen (3-