FRUSTRATED Ludlow CC skipper Will Sparrow is hoping for blue skies this weekend as he looks for a return to winning ways.

The Burway side won their opener but have lost out to the weather in the two games since then, Saturday’s match at home to Quatt the latest to fall foul of the rain.

“It was frustrating on Saturday because the game was probably just swinging in our favour,” the captain explained.

“We had worked hard to get ourselves in a winning position but then we had the first of the heavy showers and that was that.

“What makes it worse is that both Wem and Sentinel won their games and have opened up a bit of a gap at the top.”

Sparrow won the toss and put Quatt in to bat. And it wasn’t long before South African paceman Matthew Kennedy struck, taking the wicket of opener Eliot Parker with just three runs on the board.

Things continued to go Ludlow’s way when Louis Watkins then had new batsman Nick Wilkinson caught for a duck and the visitors were reeling on 4-2.

But a stand of 66 between opener Graham Yates (25) and skipper Adrian Evans steadied the ship with the latter going on to make 97 before being run out by Luke Miles.

Quatt finally posted 205-9 from their 50 overs as the Ludlow bowlers shared the wickets between them with Sam Edwards taking two while Kennedy, Watkins, Sparrow and Miles each took one apiece.

In reply, opener Dylan Grinker was trapped lbw for two but decent knocks from Harry Martin (21) and Jack Griffiths (12) kept them on course.

And things looked to be heading in the right direction for Ludlow as opener Edwards (18no) and Sparrow (20 no) put on 31 before the weather intervened.

“We had a good partnership forming,” the skipper explained. “Sam had been there all the way through and I was just getting into my stride.

“The bottom half of the order haven’t had a chance to bat yet this season so we’re desperate for the weather to stay dry this weekend when we’re at home to Albrighton.

“They are a side who have come back up to the Premier Division. They have a decent bowling attack but we will be looking at getting a 24-point victory and close the gap on Wem and Sentinel who play each other.”

Keanu Cooper and Bryan Leighton missed out on Saturday but should be available again for the visit of Albrighton.