A STRONG bowling display helped Rugby Cricket Club to a comfortable six-wicket win against Stratford-upon-Avon CC.
Rugby bowled Stratford out for 115 in 45.1 overs as Divan Posthumus (3-27), Owen Edwards (2-8), Kasir Shah (2-17), Matt Ewer (2-21) and Aravind Katragadda (1-17) took the wickets.
In reply, Kyle Taylor (32 not out) and Hugh Cochrane (27) guided Rugby to victory in 28.2 overs for the loss of four wickets.
The result means Rugby sit ninth in the Warwickshire County League Premier Division table.
Rugby made a blistering start with the ball as Posthumus and Shah accounted for Stratford openers Gareth Langman (5) and Josh Hickman (4) to restrict the visitors to 11-2.
And a pair of quick wickets from Edwards left Stratford in trouble on 41-4 with Cameron Stiles (26) and Matthew Sinnott (20) the only batters to reach the 20-run mark.
Katragadda eventually broke up the partnership as Stratford lost their final five wickets for the addition of just 41 runs.
With the bat, a 33-run first-wicket stand between Hugh Cochrane (27) and Ewer (10) put Rugby firmly on top.
Wes Landsdale (14) and Edwards (13) chipped in with useful scores before Taylor and Posthumus (10 not out) steered Rugby to victory.
However, Rugby’s second XI suffered a seven-wicket defeat at Old Edwardians with only three batters able to reach double figures.
Rugby’s top order all fell for single figures as number six Rob Stipanovic (22) and number eight Darshin Solanki (21) ensured the visitors passed the 100-run mark.
However, Rugby were all out for 110 in 37 overs as Ash Cutts (10 not out) provided some late resistance.
Despite the best efforts of James Nuttall (3-28), Old Edwardians opener Mohammed Altaf (38 not out) and Saad Qazi (52 not out) helped the home side to victory in just 25 overs.
Elsewhere, Rugby’s third XI fell 11 runs short in their pursuit of 242 against Nether Whitacre despite losing both openers for a duck.
Rugby slumped to 1-2 before Daniel Pinks (17) and Alex Smith (23) steadily rebuilt the innings.
And Liam Hebblewhite (43) then top scored as Aravind Ram (18), Tarun Ahuja (14), Anil Oruganti (12), Euan Walker (22) and Anzar Ahmed (11 not out) all provided useful knocks.
However, Rugby were all out for 231 in 43 overs after Nether Whitacre opener James Morgan (111) hit a stunning century to help the home side post 242 with Walker (3-41) the pick of the Rugby attack.
Lastly, Rugby’s fourth XI suffered a heavy 114-run defeat against Kenilworth Wardens who posted a huge 316 from their 44.3 overs.
Jamal Tarakhel (106) scored the bulk of Kenilworth’s runs while Meviltan Mendis (53) and Andrew Kitchen (54) both hit half centuries lower down the order.
With the ball, Ram Kumar Singh (3-33), Jagtar Barhey (2-49) and Adithya Ashok Prakash (2-62) were the pick of the Rugby bowlers.
In reply, opener Thomas Binding (48) top scored before he was run out with only Rugby’s tail order batters Prakash and Shreyas Sakkurti (both 22) able to pass the 20-run mark as the visitors were all out for 202 in 42.2 overs.
