2:17pm Wednesday 3rd September 2008
By Sportsdesk
EVEN victory over title rivals Stratford might not have been sufficient to guarantee Elmley Castle the Cotswold Hills League first division title.
However, Steve Charlton’s side completed their return to the top flight in exciting fashion with a 49-run success last Saturday.
It wasn’t looking good for the hosts when, having been asked to bat, they slumped to 28-4.
Brothers Neil (47) and Simon Cooper (70), though, embarked on a rescue act that set Stratford to score 198 for victory.
There was still the question of bowling bonus points for Charlton’s side to accumulate with Norton Lindsey not out of the promotion equation.
Stratford never got going after tea and were finally dismissed for 148 with Neil Cooper taking three wickets as five bowlers got on on the act.
Casualty “Secretary Robin Eaton, who was an early casualty at the top of the order, recalled: “There were people watching trying to calculate the points as the game went on.
“As the game wore on we knew that they had to reach 175 to overtake us whether they won the game or not.
They failed by two runs to collect another batting point but we would have still won the league by virtue of having recorded more wins.”
Norton Lindsey did their bit by collecting 21 points against Catherine-de-Barnes but were now out of the running to leave the Castle boys celebrating their return to the Premier Division after an absence of six seasons.
“I think we deserved it over the season although we had an escape the previous weekend but we are a pretty handy side,” Eaton added.
“We were missing Steve Webb on Saturday and weren’t looking too good until Simon and Neil came together.
“We are moreorless all local lads and teenagers Mike Brown and Simon Corbett have come in and done really well. We will have to see how we fare in the Premier Division but it’s nice to be back there.”
Exhall and Wixford’s emphatic win at Kineton where Charlie Mulraine hit 115 leaves the champions 61 points clear at the summit and their victims in second after Bretforton’s defeat at Wellesbourne and points deduction.
Blockley were crowned champions of Division Three after a 33-run defeat of Claverdon with Woodbourne’s five-wicket win at relegated Cookhill securing the runners-up berth.
It was a bad day for Bretforton as the club’s second team also lost but clinched the title in Division Four when Bearley crashed at Dorridge and Hockley Heath.
Victory for The Lenches over Stratford Bards clinched promotion in their inaugural season leaving Ashton II third in Division Five with Leek Wootton runaway champions.
There was some consolation for Ashton with Ali Keen taking a hat-trick in his side’s nine-wicket win at Moreton.
First teamer Sam Cope was also in high spirits after claiming a career beat 6-30 from just 4.4 overs as the senior side inflicted more misery on the relegated Batsford Roaders.
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