Wright stars for the West (From Malvern Gazette)

Wright stars for the West

6:14pm Wednesday 1st August 2007 in Cricket

STONE v WEST MALVERN

IN this must win game' for two promotion chasing sides, West Malvern's unbeaten run was extended by another solid team effort and a sparkling return to form with the bat by Steve Wright.

Stone were asked to bat first on a good wicket. Openers D Wharmley and John Morley were held in check by the accurate pace of Pete O'Connell but took advantage of the less fiery bowling of James Blackshaw and Alistair Hills, racing to 47 off the first 12 overs.

West took a firm grip on the innings with the introduction of Wright, who with O'Connell (12-5-7-2), continuing his impressive spell with a change of ends, brought the scoring rate down dramatically.

The pressure finally got too much for Morley whose swing at Wright was ill-judged. His departure was swiftly followed by Wharmley (34), who chanced his arm once too often to be spectacularly caught by Kevin Gilbert off O'Connell.

O'Connell bowled Caulfield for a duck in his next over and when Wright trapped Aldridge leg before the Stone innings had stuttered to 62-4 from 25 overs.

Brian Pleass replaced O'Connell and soon got the wicket of Chris Harler but then Nick Powell, who had looked vulnerable against O'Connell, took charge and with Stride put on 57 quick runs with some good running and lusty blows.

Blackshaw took over from Wright (12-5-24-2) and tempted Stride to loft to Gilbert at long-on. Batsford joined Powell to ensure a competitive total putting on 50 runs in the last five overs before Powell (77) was run out by smart fielding by Andy Hurrell.

Chasing 178 to win, openers Wright and Tony Williams began to make headway with smart running and judicious punishment of any loose balls offered by Durnell and Powell.

In the tenth over Williams (18) was bowled by Durnell and when Shailly Badra mis-timed a full toss from Harler to be caught by Stride, the West's start had faltered to 53-2.

Enter Brain Pleass, who signalled his intent by getting off the mark with a boundary. Wright then exploded into belligerent action - the pair plundered the Stone bowling for 97 runs in the next 20 overs.

West were looking well set for victory until, in Powell's final dramatic over, Wright was run out for an excellent 81. Hills was cleaned out first ball and Tom Taylor became Powell's second victim when he was trapped by a grubber, three wickets had fallen with the score on 150.

It was left to West's captain Gilbert and Pleass (45no) to steer their side home as the weather worsened - Gilbert (17no) cutting Batsford for the winning runs in the 41st over.

The outcome sees West Malvern (20pts) consolidate their position in second place and Stone, who were one point behind, drop to fourth.