SKIPPER Will Sparrow urged Ludlow to look on the bright side despite being denied victory by Broseley’s stubborn resistance.

With the weather curtailing the away innings to 46 overs, Edward Bennett and Tim Garbett refused to budge during the last knockings with a revised target of 148 no longer realistic.

Sparrow’s charges were restricted to gradual progress with the bat as opener Sam Edwards (42) stuck to his task manfully while many around him faltered.

The runs trickled rather than flowed until Glen Whittaker stepped up with an unbeaten 47 from 78 deliveries, including a quartet of fours and two sixes.

Having been put in to bat, 154 for nine was not to be sniffed at given the conditions but Broseley made a strong start to their response.

Openers James Ralph (24) and Salim Ahmed (18) put on 44 for the first wicket but after Ruel Brathwaite had dismissed Ralph, Sparrow (4-28) soon got to work on the rest.

Scott Furber and Ahmed quickly followed before Richard Parker (18) and Gavin Jones (27) took the visitors to 86 for five.

Up stepped the captain to lead by example once more, seeing off Parker and Robert Firmstone en route to six maiden overs out of 14.

As the prospect of victory ebbed away, Broseley dug in with Bennett’s nine from 34 balls enough to end the innings on 127 for nine.

One more wicket would have handed Ludlow another 11 league points but Sparrow did all he could to see through the frustration.

“We just couldn’t get that last wicket,” he said. “We were on for 24 points but on the plus side, we remain unbeaten and got the better of one of the top sides.

“Broseley were top going into Saturday so to be the better side throughout the game was a real positive. Now, we go into the third of three big matches full of confidence.”

It has been a strong start for Ludlow, who sit third going into Saturday’s trip to fourth-placed Worfield (1pm), but Sparrow does not want to look too far ahead.

“I don’t want to set too many targets at this stage,” said Sparrow. “Until we get to the midway point, I think it is important for us to take every game as it comes.

“There are still a fair number of big teams to play so we cannot be thinking that far ahead, we must be realistic.”

Elsewhere, Ludlow’s second string lost by four wickets at Willey.

David Northwood’s 73 not-out contributed more than half of the away side’s total of 136 with Simon McCutcheon (26*) and Matthew Pritchard (52) the big scorers as Willey wrapped up victory in 25 overs.

Will Gough’s unbeaten 108 was enough for the third team to beat Hodnet, Peplow & Tibberton (163 for nine) by two wickets. Chris Ammonds (4-32) starred with the ball for Ludlow, who finished on 164 for eight.