Sheikh shines in Walsall victory

Walsall winning Sheikh © Getty Images

Mo Sheikh, the former Derbyshire and Warwickshire all-rounder, could be a contender for player of the season award after another match-winning performance for reigning Premier Division champions Walsall to put them in sight of the 2008 title.

Sheikh, who recently signed a third year professional contract with Staffordshire, propped up the Walsall innings with 52 then took 5-22 in a 107-run victory over Kenilworth Wardens in the Birmingham Midshires Birmingham & District Premier League.

On a slow pitch that had been used for the county 2nd XI match, between Warwickshire and Leicestershire earlier in the week, Sheikh’s score was matched by Kiwi Brad Wilson, as the leaders totalled 208 for seven but in reply, Wardens slumped to 101 all out.

In 17 matches in 2008, Sheikh has now collected 459 runs at 30.60 while also taking 43 wickets to make him one of the most successful players in the league this summer.

While contenders Barnt Green and Knowle & Dorridge were sliding to defeat against Walmley and Wolverhampton, the Gorway outfit increased their lead at the top of the table to 24 points over Himley, who maintained their title hopes with a five wicket success over bottom club Shifnal.

Shifnal appeared to be on the way to a decent score as Jono Whitney (50) led them to 63 without loss but the introduction of the prolific TP Singh (6-45) altered the course of the match.

Singh and Tim Heap (4-42) reduced Shifnal to 106 all out before Greg Wright’s 41 set up a five-wicket victory that keeps Himley just in sight.

An unbeaten 62 from Chris Booth took Walmley to 173 for seven in 55 overs at Barnt Green, with Phil Mann capturing 3-88 for the village side.

Barnt Green appeared to be out of it at 40 for four but they staged a revival reaching 159 before an injured Dougie Brown was dismissed to leave Walmley winners by 14 runs.

Greg Ricketts took 5-44 but Booth won the Birmingham Midshires man of the match award for his effort with the bat.

Erratic Knowle & Dorridge were thrashed by nine wickets, by equally inconsistent Wolverhampton who showed a welcome return to winning ways after the horrors of the last two games.

Chris Russell, returning after a long spell of injury, took 5-9 as K & D crashed to 48 all out. This total was 10 more than Wolverhampton achieved in their last two games but this time, there were no alarms as they cruised to victory in 9.4 overs.

Leamington Spa boosted their survival hopes with a 57-run win over Moseley, a result that leaves West Bromwich Dartmouth in peril after a losing draw at Kidderminster Victoria.

Despite 32 from Mark Lewis, Leamington appeared in trouble at 91 for nine but a last wicket stand of 50, between Jack Hawkes (39) and Tim Westwood took the total to 141, with Moseley’s Michael Bell taking 5-30.

Moseley, then, crumbled to 84 all out, as Faisal Irfan took 5-13. Jonathan Wright’s 57 took Kiddi to 180 for eight against Dartmouth, with soon to be returning ICL star TP Sudhindra taking 4-64, but identical figures of 4-37 from Arfan Khan and Ted Bayliss left Dartmouth hanging on at 130 for eight.

With two games remaining, one more win for Walsall should see the title return to the Black Country while Shifnal, who travel to Gorway, next Saturday, and Dartmouth look favourites to be relegated.