Fireworks from Mankad propel Wardens to win over strugglers

An inspired middle-order knock from overseas star Prerak Mankad fired Kenilworth Wardens to maximum points against strugglers Barnt Green in the Birmingham Premier League.
Prerak Mankad, who later played a starring role with the bat, sees a chance to take the wicket of Jamie Harrison go begging. Picture: Morris TroughtonPrerak Mankad, who later played a starring role with the bat, sees a chance to take the wicket of Jamie Harrison go begging. Picture: Morris Troughton
Prerak Mankad, who later played a starring role with the bat, sees a chance to take the wicket of Jamie Harrison go begging. Picture: Morris Troughton

On a scorching afternoon at Glasshouse Park, the visitors won the toss and asked Mark Pidgeon’s side to bowl first on a wicket that looked likely to offer very little assistance to the bowlers.

Sutton and Harrison started cautiously for the away side with opening bowlers Paul Rowe and Mankad finding the edge on numerous occasions with little reward.

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Eighteen-year-old Finn McCreath then came on to snare Harrison for 33 and two balls later Hargrave offered no shot to a ball that nipped back and clipped off stump.

At the other end, Matt Hancock proved age is no barrier with the athletic run out of Warwickshire squad member Lamb and the visitors suddenly found themselves struggling at 79 for three.

Hancock (4-40) and skipper Pidgeon (3-28) proved a threat all afternoon and after visiting captain Sutton departed for 49 with the score on 118, Barnt Green lost their last six wickets for just 60 runs to end on an under -par 178 all out.

The hosts started brightly in reply with the explosive Nick Seager hitting 5 fours and a six in the opening three overs before Gary Maynard, Dan Mousley and McCreath quickly departed.

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When Seager holed out in the deep off the bowling of Sutton, Wardens found themselves in a spot of bother at 45 for four.

Mankad then came to the party with a run-a-ball 82, brilliantly supported by Harry Johnson as an inexperienced visiting attack struggled to contain the Wardens pair.

Sutton offered late hope with the dismissal of Mankad but Johnson finished unbeaten on 48 to steer the hosts home.

A young Wardens 2nds got home by four wickets at Walmley.

Walmley chose to bat first and reached 159 off 38 overs before losing their first wicket after a running mix-up between Tom Pyke and Callum Herron (54).

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Pyke went on to make a hundred, upping the tempo for his team before being caught on the boundary for a 131.

With Walmley at 205 for two with five overs left, the advantage of having wickets in hand paid dividends as they went on to close on 244 for five.

Visiting skipper Paul Henderson took four wickets.

Wardens opened the batting with Dan Wood and James May and despite Wood being dropped three times, the partnership reached 138 before he was finally caught off the final ball of the 21st over for 62.

Rich Anthony (0) then departed two balls later after being bowled by Herron.

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Henderson and May kept the scoreboard ticking along before a good catch in the deep saw the back of May for 68.

Young prospect Jacob Bethell combined well with the stand-in captain before, with the finishing line in sight, a cluster of wickets saw Henderson (47), Butler (0) and Bethell (42) all out bowled.

However, Tommy Rex and Jonathan Phillips saw Wardens over the line with four overs to spare.

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