ALI Asghar and Wajahat Chohan shared a vital 105-run partnership to provide the foundation for Evesham’s victory against Colwall in Worcestershire County League Division One.
The duo’s fourth-wicket stand rallied the innings from 39-3 to a final total of 249-9 off their 50 overs before Colwall fell 23 runs short.
With top two Bewdley and Stourport both winning, it was crucial third-placed Evesham took the win and they remain 22 points behind Stourport and 27 behind Bewdley.
Evesham head to third-bottom Pedmore tomorrow (Saturday).
Last weekend, Evesham won the toss and batted first but Sadam Khan, Muhammad Saqib, and Johnson Lourdhusamy were soon back in the pavilion with only 39 on the scoreboard.
Asghar hit 54 and Chohan smacked 42 to signal the revival and take the score to 144.
Ali Shan (30) and Mohammed Fahim Maan (28) kept up the late momentum as Evesham ended on 249-9. Michael Gooch took 3-32 and Nick Brown 3-63.
Joseph Blight gave Colwall a solid start with 51, hitting ten fours, and helping putting on 65 for the first wicket. Though batsmen got starts, nobody else moved beyond the 20s as skipper Maan used eight bowlers to keep a tight rein on the batters.
Adnam Sagheer (2-49) and Maan (2-51) both took two wickets.
Half-centuries from Malim Khan and Umir Farooq proved in vain as Evesham Seconds were edged out by seven runs away to Netherton in the 2nd XI Division Two.
Netherton set a daunting target after smacking 280 all out in their 48 overs, with Hassan Shah top-scoring with 85. Farrukh Zaib was the pick of the bowlers with 5-55 in 9.4 overs.
Despite losing Amjad Mehmood for a duck, Khan (77) and wicketkeeper Ghayas Uddin (48) rallied the innings. Farooq continued the good work with 55 and Bilal Khan hit 34 but Evesham were dismissed for 273 off the penultimate ball of their innings.
Evesham entertain Belbroughton tomorrow.