BEWDLEY Cricket Club's honours hopes in the Worcestershire County League Division Two nosedived on Saturday when they were comprehensively beaten by Lye, one of their rivals for a promotion slot.

Batting first, Bewdley quickly slipped to 8-3, with big guns Mark Bennett, Simon Smith and Paul Beard all gone.

Things improved only marginally; Mark Edwards and Darren Watkins contributed well, and Dean Wilkes batted patiently for 24 overs, but a total of 91 spelt disaster.

Lye knocked off the runs for the loss of just two wickets in just over 20 overs.

Bewdley's final league game on Saturday against Brockhampton is looking increasingly important.

Tewkesbury 2nd v Bewdley 2nd - Tewkesbury won by 55 runs

Tewkesbury batted solidly throughout and a total of 156 was always going to be a challenging one.

All Bewdley bowlers acquitted themselves well, particularly Aidan Laverty who seems to be spinning his legbreaks again with real zip.

Mark Venross and Peter Mauger started well in reply, and after their dismissals Robert Combes and David Mills seemed to have set up victory.

However, Mills was out with the total on 79, and then Bewdley collapsed alarmingly to 101 all out.

There were no fewer than six ducks, and Combes, having batted with great authority, was left high and dry on 22 not out.

Bewdley v Cheltenham CS - Cheltenham won by 8 wickets.

Paul Beard (56) dominated an opening Bewdley partnership of 52 with Aidan Laverty and after they were out David Mills (58no) punished some accurate bowling in an attractive display of strokeplay.

Had he not been deprived of the strike for long periods, Bewdley's total would have been higher than 169-5 declared.

The Civil Service side batted sensibly throughout, and although Scott Fowler bowled with great hostility, they reached 170-2 with Lawrence unbeaten on 93.