SATURDAY'S eagerly awaited local derby at Avon Street ended with Pershore's final pair hanging on for a draw.

The result, though, gave Evesham 16 points to keep them at the top of Birmingham League Division 24 points clear of Aston Manor.

Pershore, who won the toss and invited their hosts to bat, managed to secure the extra batting point they needed to keep them one place above the relegation zone.

Ian Suckling and Neal Radford gratefully accepted the opportunity on a good track and piled up a century opening stand.

The latter was finally bowled by Powles for a well-constructed 66, but the left-handed Suckling continued to anchor the innings accumulating well off his legs and into the covers.

Mark Penter perished going down the track but Stuart Berry kept the score ticking over before Francois Nel smashed 28 off 15 deliveries.

Suckling finally fell to a catch at short extra cover with his century in sight and 56 runs off the last five overs lifted Evesham's score to 256-6.

After tea, it was evident that this would be more than enough as slumped to 38-3 after 16 overs.

Pershore's middle order, however, defended valiantly with David Powles and Phil Oxley to the fore and, on a slow benign pitch, the challenge for the bowlers was to dig out obdurate batsmen who defended well yet missed no opportunity to hit the loose ball.

Neal Radford grabbed two early wickets and the off-spinner Penter came on for a long spell.

With fielders crowding the bat and a fast outfield, a high proportion of boundaries inflated the total, although a Pershore win never seemed likely.

Teenage leg-spinner James Anderson bowled well with little luck and his figures were damaged when Eversham hit him for 14 off three successive deliveries but he gained sweet revenge off the next ball when he trapped the Pershore batsmen leg before.

Penter removed David White in his second over and then bowled Liam Ridings before finally accounting for both Powles and Oxley.

Radford and Nel returned for a final burst and reduced Pershore to nine wickets down, but neither could break the gutsy last wicket stand between Martin Johnson and Ben Bales.

The last ball of the innings was greeted with cheers from the visiting supporters as the 200 came up securing a third batting point.