WORCESTER Nomads' bid for promotion into Division one of the Worcestershire Clubs League received a jolt when the first team was defeated at Cookley.

After a solid start by Malcolm Jones (29) and James Watkins (25) the Nomads batting withered away against the accurate bowling of Horton (5 for 46) and Sellicks (5 for 68). Then despite some fine seam bowling from Ian Jinks (6 for 56) Cookley reached the 119 runs required for victory but lost seven wickets in doing so.

On Sunday the 1st X1 visited Shipston on Stour and inconsistent batting almost led to another low score with four of the first six batsmen failing to reach double figures. However James Kelly (55) held firm and a respectable score was made possible by a seventh wicket partnership of 65 between Anthony Massey and Ian Jinks and a declaration was made at 192-7 after 46 overs.

Shipston made a spirited reply but eventually fell to the pace bowling of Anton Madzarevic (3 for 16) and Ian Jinks (4 for 13) and were all out for 164 in the 41st over.

Visiting Evesham the Sunday 2nd X1 invited the home side to bat first and enjoyed its best start for many matches. Four Evesham batsmen were dismissed for 20 runs and an easy win was in prospect. Then entered Chris Williams, a Worcestershire County Club player flown in from the Leeward Islands. Looking jet lagged at first Williams gradually acquired confidence and his hitting finally gave him a n undefeated century in the last over.

Typical Nomads sportsmanship in asking the umpire to change his decision after David Knowles snicked the ball onto his pads may well have changed the course of the game because Knowles with 49 was the only Evesham batsmen to offer Williams any support against the accurate seam bowling of Ian Elliott who had a career best of 7 for 48.

Evesham then made full use of their County trialist by opening the bowling with him.

However David Pearson and Bill Jones, playing his last match as team captain proved equal to the situation and put on 36 for the first wicket in ten overs.

Pearson finished with a good 60 but wickets fell steadily at the other end and it was up to the last pair of Fred Lloyd and Ian Elliott to hold out for a well deserved draw 55 runs behind.

In the Nomads innings thirteen year old Miles Illingworth was able to able to reach his 1000 runs for the season- the third Nomad to achieve this figure during the current season.