THE local derby between Bromsgrove Cricket Club and Worcester in Division One at Aston Fields resulted in a comfortable win for Worcester by 28 runs.

On winning the toss for the hosts, captain Paul Duffy invited Worcester to bat on what proved to be a very difficult surface, no-one being able to bat with great confidence due to the unpredictable pace and bounce.

However, Andrew Mason and Iain McLaren added 49 for the first wicket before McLaren was bowled for a hard hit 39, a score that was matched by Mason before he was also bowled.

The rest of the order produced very little but the last wicket partnership of Phil Knight and Mark Chambers added 25 valuable runs to see their side to 140 all out in 52 overs, with Kish Patel (5-48) and Neil Ingram (4-43) the pick of the bowlers.

Bromsgrove found batting equally hard when they replied, losing both openers for 16.

Duffy and Jerome Connor both made 15 and the Zimbabwean Jason Vaughan-Davis ground in to try and see his side to victory, but when he had made 31 he was caught brilliantly by Kiwi Leighton Hammond.

Hammond, who had earlier suffered a hand injury, overcame his handicap to bowl well and take 3-36, but veteran medium-pacer Rob Richards stole the show with a controlled spell which earned him 4-35 as the home side were bundled out for only 112. Worcester took 20 points, Bromsgrove four.

Bromsgrove teams, first XI away to Moseley, 1pm start (meet at 11.30pm): P C Duffy, J Campbell, S Keyte, J Connor, J Vaughan Davis, K Patel, N Davies, N Ingram, P Husbands, A Field, J Duffy.

Second XI at home to Wheaton Aston, 1.30pm start (meet at 12.45pm): A Lawton, J Hansell, D Keyte, J Court, B Hope, D Keyte Jnr, R Hope, I Walker, L Mortlock, M Bilborough, T Hope.