A MATCH-WINNING performance from Ateeq Javid with bat and ball gave Berkswell victory at rivals Dorridge and ensured they retained their spot at the top of the Birmingham League Premier Division.
After winning the toss, Dorridge decided to bat fast.
Opening batsmen Ali Ebad (18) and Aarib Khan (21) gave them a steady start, adding 46 for the first wicket before Grant Thornton trapped the former LBW.
A change of bowling brought Javid into the attack and in his first over he removed Khan without any addition to the score.
Not long after he had Gary Hawkins (2) out for LBW to leave Dorridge at 49-3.
Barrie Forrester-Smith and David Ball (18) halted the loss of wickets and put together a 58-run partnership before the latter fell victim to another LBW decision off the spin bowling of Javid.
Forrester-Smith (51) and Chris Wright (12) added another 24 runs, but Javid struck once again when he had Wright (12) stumped by Liam Gately.
Not long after it was Forrester-Smith heading back to the pavilion, caught out at deep long off to give Javid his fifth wicket.
Having bowled 16 of his allotted 17 overs, Javid had the first two balls of his final over smashed for two boundaries by Mark Swanwick (24).
However, Swanwick was then caught out by Chris Whittock.
Iftikhar Ahmed (0) was caught and bowled first ball and James Ayers (0) survived one ball before being caught by Dominic Ostler off the next delivery.
Javid’s final over returned three wickets for eight runs and he finished his bowling spell with 8-53.
Dorridge’s innings folded shortly afterwards at 176 all out when James Harris (7) was also given out LBW to the slow left arm bowling of Mohammed Ahmed.
Berkswell’s reply got off to a slow start, quickly slumping to 29-3.
However, the visitors soon upped their game and it was Javid who led the attack, smashing an unbeaten 103 off 104 balls and was ably supported by Nick James (53 not out) to steer Berkswell to 179-3.
Berkswell have a huge game against title rivals Shrewsbury on Saturday.
