THE administrative error by Stourbridge on Bank Holiday Monday ensured Bromsgrove Cricket Club's First XI kept their Division One status intact as they came through Saturday's critical encounter with a winning draw.

Yet there were no wild celebrations -- just a sigh of relief with plenty to reflect on for next season.

Club captain Nick Husbands said. "It has been a tough initiation for Paul Duffy as captain because the pressure was on from the very start and there was no relief until the final ball of the game on Saturday.

"We must move forward from here. We've had two indifferent seasons staying away from the drop. Our second team have developed into a tough unit and are disappointed they didn't win promotion. Mark Evenson came up from Mike Bennison's side this year and has contributed tremendously. I have no doubts that Dan Keyte and Mark Bilborough can do the same for us over the next couple of seasons."

The Boars played well against Stourbridge and took the form of the last two games with them.

Opposition skipper Richard Brooker won the toss and surprisingly elected to field first, meaning that only an outright victory for his side would keep them safe.

Openers Nick Davies (55) and Simon Keyte (47) duly replied with the highest opening stand of the season, putting on 110 for the first wicket.

The pair started with caution but the longer they stayed together the quicker the runs came. The 100 came up in just the 26th over.

Keyte was first to go, caught on the boundary off Murphy's bowling. Karl Pearson then joined in and played an excellent supporting innings.

Davies was out lbw to the same bowler but the damage has already been done. Pearson used elegant touches to keep the scoreboard ticking over, allowing the other batsmen to play their shots.

The innings finally closed on 200 for eight, off-spinner Lucas returned four for 50. Paul Duffy elected to take the old ball in a bid to put early pressure on by reducing the runs. And it worked.

Kish Patel and Nick Davies bowled a tidy line and picked up wickets to put the early pressure on. The run rate didn't rise above two runs per over. Nick Husbands replaced Davies and quickly accepted the wicket of Australian danger man Glen Ashmead, who was bowled for 19.

After that Stourbridge were playing for pride. Patel (4 for 57), Husbands (3 for 52), along with a direct hit run out by Pearson, was enough to tie the visitors down to 137 for nine off 55 overs.

The victory would have been nice but with Bromsgrove down and out just two weekends ago there were no complaints.

They picked up 53 points from a possible 60 in their last three games to ensure survival.

l Bromsgrove teams this Sunday: Firsts away to Feckenham, meet 12.30pm, 1.30pm start: PC Duffy, N Ingram, M Evenson, K Patel, N Davies, N Husbands, B Hope, R Hope, PJ Duffy, L Mortlock, P Husbands. A Davies (scorer), D Duffy (umpire).

Seconds at home to Feckenham, meet 1pm, 1.30pm start: J Hansell, S Chinn, M Thurbon, I German, I Ramsay, S Fannin, J Sorrell, D Page, B Rands, C Rands, G Chinn. 12th man: Mark Bilborough.