Cricket
Newdick shines in defeat

By Jamie Arrowsmith 02/08 Updated: 02/08 16:05

A FANTASTIC individual performance from Ash Newdick was not enough to save Bromsgrove from a 36-run Birmingham League Division One home defeat at Shifnal on Saturday.

Newdick took 4-35 as Shifnal made 215-8 after choosing to bat first before carrying his bat for 102 but it was not enough.

Bromsgrove were pleased at halfway having restricted Shifnal to a total they believed to be under par but, not for the first time this season, the batting order failed to fire and they were dismissed for 179 in the 48th over with only three other men - Tom Hill (21), Tom Underhill (18) and captain Mark Evenson (11) - making double figures.

“It was very disappointing to lose the game given how well Ash performed and how well we bowled and fielded,” Evenson said.

“We’ve bowled well all season and on a very good batting track were really pleased to keep their total down.

“But we didn’t show enough application with the bat and gave too many wickets away. They didn’t bowl any better than we did, we just didn’t have enough people prepared to settle in and build an innings.

“Ash performed brilliantly again and has regularly been one of our biggest components throughout the season, we’d be struggling without him.”

The defeat leaves Bromsgrove 38 points off second place but Evenson admits that whilst a good run of form would still see them in contention, they cannot afford to become complacent at the other end of the table either.

“There are still enough games left and enough points to play for to get ourselves up there, starting with a victory against Old Hill tomorrow.

“But, if we lose the next couple of games we’ll be concentrating on the bottom of the table rather than the top, this is now a crucial stage of the season.”