BROMSGROVE secured a top six finish in Birmingham League Division One after sweeping aside Wellington in a one-sided clash on Saturday.
Jayden Levitt ended the campaign as the Boars’ top scorer with 934 league runs, but it was Ash Newfield who stole the show in the final game.
The opener took 3-12 as Wellington were dismissed for 94 before scoring an unbeaten 63 in Bromsgrove’s chase at St Godwalds Park.
After the match was delay due to overnight rain, the hosts seemed determined to wrap it up quick as they took a flurry of early wickets.
Alex Wilkinson took two of them and claimed a catch when Steve Lamb was undone by the bowling of Graeme Whiles as the away side were reduced to 21-3.
Daniel Vaughan (7) and Wendell Wagner (14) tried to dig in, but Bromsgrove’s bowling attack was proving too strong as they were soon removed and Scott De Weymarn did not last long either.
Wilkinson once again made the catch, with Alexei Kervezee picking up his second wicket in an impressive spell, which left Wellington on 46-6.
The visitors managed to get another 18 runs before losing their next man, but they never caused Boars concern as Anthony O’Connor (16), Trevor Garwe (12) and Adam Byram (11) all went. Newfield got two of those wickets before completing a dominant performance by dismissing Charlie Mackleworth (7).
With 95 runs needed to win, Bromsgrove would have been looking to get off to a positive start, but instead they suffered a double blow.
Anthony O’Connor trapped Levitt LBW before getting Kervezee removed for a golden duck which left the home side on 31-2.
But they responded superbly as Newfield and Ryan Pedley took the game by the scruff of the neck, with the former notching up a match-winning half century.
Elsewhere, Old Elizabethans showed why it was them and not Bromsgrove Seconds in the runners up spot as they posted 237 and then bowled their visitors out for just 169.
The Thirds posted 265 against Old Hill at Romsley thanks to Mike Bennison (53) and Paul Husbands (48). Josh Searle took his first five wicket haul of the season but Old Hill managed to hang on for the losing draw with four wickets remaining.
