HAMMERWICH came out on top in a close encounter at home against Penkridge.
The Hammers headed in to bat first after winning the toss and reached 44 before seeing Tom Wright and Callum Brodrick dismissed for 12 and a duck respectively in the same over.
Wickets of Imran Qadir (33) and Luke Ponder (0) followed as the hosts looked in trouble at 56-3.
But a fine 96 from Scott Elstone and Andy Malkin put the innings back on track as Hammerwich were eventually dismissed for 281.
Myles Davis and Jack Pope both took four wickets for the visitors.
Penkridge made a solid start to their reply, making 70 before Alan Lones was bowled by John Jennings one short of his half-century.
Amaan Hassan was run out and Ross Parker was bowled by Hasnain Nawaz as the scoreboard reached 96-3.
But a knock of 55 for Will Jones took the score to 187 before he was caught by Malkin off the bowling of Brodrick.
Penkridge continued to nudge towards the total with 42 from Jack Pope and an unbeaten 43 from Josh Skyte, but it wasn’t to be enough as they fell just short, finishing the innings on 275-9.
