Following this weekend’s action the Wolves, with their first league win, the first BCEW champions of 2024 are now joined by Somerset VICC as league winners. As Worcestershire sadly withdrew from the Midlands league and RNC Hereford only managed to complete one game in the early damp part of the summer – the league became rather a two-horse race. Newcomers Birmingham Stars secured a draw with Wolves and on 11th August scored 214 for 9 in a game where they needed a winning draw and equal bonus points to allow them the possibility to match the Wolves performance. Wolves had 23 overs to bat and Mike Harrison & David Viner put on an opening stand of 106 in 21 overs before David was dismissed. With Stars unable to take a second wicket Wolves had more bonus points and secured the title; that league ends when the Stars travel to Gloucestershire next Sunday.
In the north the weather has been even more of an influence and there may still be four matches to play with Durham and Bradford & District chasing Lancashire Lions, who currently top the league but have just one game to play. With Bradford coming out on top of those chasing clubs first head-to-head fixture at Bradford on Sunday they now look the most likely challengers as they sit just 15 points behind Lancashire with two games in hand. Durham and Bradford each have one more game on the 1st of September before what may still be a league decider when Bradford travel to Durham on the 15th.
In the south a date for another potential decider is yet to be agreed as Surrey VICC battle Berkshire Stags at the top of the league. This weekend Hampshire were forced by injuries to concede to Surrey – who thus took 22 points, so the Stags opted to bat first on winning the toss against the Devils – looking for maximum points. They cruised to 244 runs for the loss of just one wicket in 20 overs with 50s for their skipper Sam Hoskin and Chris Wallace. However the gamble to collect extra points did not pay off as the Devils batted out for a draw – James Whitfield, on debut scored a responsible 31 from 60 balls and only by taking wickets in the final over did the Stags get a second bowling bonus point to lead the table by one point. Surrey have a trip to the south coast, on 1st September to take on the mid-table Dorset County VICT while the Stags have a trip to Hampshire to come before that match. With that one point lead before those two matches they are perhaps just favourites to take the title should it not prove possible to play the top of the table clash postponed from April.
Somerset secured the second division title in the national league with a maximum points win against Yorkshire on Saturday. Ed and Rory Hossell piled up 281 runs in 20 overs – scoring three dozen boundaries including ten sixes; with Ed finishing just 9 runs short of 200. Yorkshire dug in well and only when Aidrian Snellgrove came on did their first wicket fall in the tenth over. Aidrian went on to take two wickets in his fourth over and took the final wicket too as he ended with 4 for 23. With second place secured Surrey may not take the trip to the west country; the only match not completed in this league.
The National League first division remains wide open at both ends – Metro felt they had an understrength team for their trip to Northants but secured a win to ensure a title decider with Sussex at Highgate on the 24th. They dismissed the hosts for 155 with Chris Blake taking 3 for 12 and then chased the runs down based on a solid third wicket partnership between Prem Sellathurai who scored 44 and Mo Ghalib who batted through with 61 not out. Sussex remain in pole position, one point ahead, following their win against Lancashire, despite having to bat first. They scored 228 based on a 128 stand between skipper and wicketkeeper for their third wicket. Lancashire tried to cling on for a draw but finally fell with 16 balls left in the game as Phil Daniels claimed 4 for 29.
The Lions travel to Northants on the 14th September needing to make up at least one point on their hosts to have a chance of avoiding relegation.