TOM Crump’s best bowling figures in the Shropshire County League proved in vain as Church Stretton’s batting failed them against Shropshire County League Division Two opponents Willey.

The young paceman plundered an impressive 6-42 off 13 overs as Willey, who were put in by Stretton skipper Peter Lee, were dismissed for 175 in 40 overs.

Lee (20) then opened the Stretton innings but they lost early wickets and although Saif Khalid promised a revival, he ran out of partners and was left stranded on 59 not out when Stretton were dismissed for 126.

Bishop’s Castle were also beaten after being restricted to 119-6 off 40 overs by Ellesmere. Andrew Lewis (65) and skipper Tom Moulder (23) scored the bulk of their runs, but their total proved below par and Ellesmere got home by seven wickets with ten overs to spare, thanks to Jonathan Mitchell’s unbeaten 71.

In Division Three Corvedale were also beaten in a nip-and-tuck affair with Shifnal 3rd.

Russell Wilcox (36) and Adam Williams (34) were the mainstays of Corvedale’s 166-9 off 40 overs, and Shifnal then countered a couple of early wickets from Adam Williams by inching home in the 39th over on 165-5.

Corvedale 2nd were a man short against Much Wenlock 2nd, but the ten men rose to the challenge to secure a tight 17-run victory.

Skipper Ian Alderson carried his bat to anchor the innings, his unbeaten 35 spanning 31 overs as Corvedale were dismissed for 119.

Muhammad Amir then became the match-winner, the first-change bowler snaring 5-23 off just five overs as Much Wenlock folded like a pack of cards to be shot out for 102.

Bishop’s Castle 2nd XI also had ten men and could only muster 85-9 in reply to Ellesmere 2nd’s 144. Paul Cottrell had taken 4-40 with the ball but the Bishop’s batting failed to build on his work, Anthony Whately top-scoring with 19.

Knighton-on-Teme also underachieved with the bat in going under by 94 runs against Dales in the Marches League, despite Jack Kitchen hitting 54 of their 127, while Cleobury Mortimer’s Division Three revival in the Worcestershire League came to an abrupt halt at Claverley, when they were swamped by 195 runs.

Claverley piled up an impressive 284-8 off their 50 overs, with Ben Griffiths the only bowler to come out with any credit with 3-41.

But Cleobury then collapsed to 89 all out in 19.2 overs, with James Manley (22) and Alex Howman (35) the only batsmen to reach double figures.

Cleobury 2nd’s batting also had an afternoon to forget against Five Ways Old Edwardians 2nd. They were hustled out for a miserly 42 to concede an embarrassing one-sided ten-wicket defeat, Old Eds needing only six overs to knock off the runs.