Harding leads run bonanza

Hamish Harding hit top form to power Newtown to a whopping 159-run win at struggling Albrighton in the Shropshire Premier League.

Harding hit 12 fours and six sixes on his way to a superb 152 from 208 balls, paving the way for Newtown to reach 367-6 from their 50 overs.

Harding was supported by an unbeaten 68 from 44 balls for Jack Morris and 57 from wicketkeeper Sam Cooke.

The hosts made a fight of it but were eventually dismissed in the 45^th over for 208 with Dave Anthony and Tom Foulkes taking three wickets apiece.

Welshpool picked up a useful 11 points from their abandoned Division One match at Knockin for bowling them out for 182 before the rain came.

Montgomery fell agonisingly short of Bomere Heath’s 151 to remain in the bottom three.

James Corfield took 4-6 to restrict the Division One leaders, but Monty’s exciting chase ended on 149, despite the best efforts of Ieuan Griffiths who finished unbeaten on 33.

Guilsfield’s Division Four match with Harcourt was a victim of the weather.

The Reserve Division Two match between Newtown II and Montgomery II ended at the halfway stage due to a heavy downpour with Newtown dismissed for 111. Keith Griffiths took 4-11.

A batting collapse meant Welshpool II could only defend 65 after being put into bat by title chasing St George 4ths in Reserve Division Three. The visitors knocked it off for the loss of two wickets.