COVENTRY & North Warwickshire made up crucial ground in the Warwickshire League Premier Division title race, after taking the greater share of points in a winning draw against leaders Walmley.
The Binley Road outfit did just enough to prevent the visitors from beating their 178-9 score, with the Sutton Coldfield side remarkably finishing on 177-9 after a well-contested battle.
After being put into bat, Coventry’s innings did not start to fire until a fifth-wicket partnership of 89 runs between Raag Kapur (41) and Ankit Kaushik (59).
Taran Toor’s quickfire 23 kept the scoreboard ticking over but Coventry still fell just shy of the 200-run mark after Jonathan Newis (4-30) and Kiefer Woods (4-44) regularly caused problems.
Walmley’s top-order batsmen also struggled in their reply before an 83-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Yusuf Khalil (24) and in-form Sarmad Bhatti (81) revitalised the innings.
It was seemingly a case of grinding out the runs for Walmley, but Coventry & NW dangermen Sameer Vohra (3-41) and Harry Horsley (3-55) cranked up the pressure.
Eight runs were required from the final over to claim victory, the away side could only manage six runs between their tailenders to fall just short.
Coventry, who sit third in the table, face another crunch test on Saturday when they go to second-placed Stratford-upon-Avon.</b>
