A DISAPPOINTING three-wicket reverse at the hands of Penkridge last Saturday didn't do much to hamper Evesham's hopes of promotion to Division Two of the Birmingham League.

It was a match they should have won comfortably but both the batsmen and bowlers let the Staffordshire hosts off the hook.

Asked to take first knock, all went well as Ian Suckling, Neal Radford, Mark Penter and Stuart Berry piled on the runs. However, the Australian's dismissal 15 runs short of a century prompted a collapse and a final total of 233 left the leaders with a tough task to hold off the home side's challenge.

The economic Radford and the control of Penter looked like securing another win but the other bowlers failed follow suit and the chasers were always in with a shout.

Francois Nel, Stuart Langstone and Ian Stowe went for 113 runs from their shared 14.2 overs and an eight wicket stand between Pope and Price sentenced the Avon Street outfit to defeat.

Hundreds

Penter and Nel both struck hundreds the next afternoon when it took the openers a mere 19.3 overs to surpass Worcester Norton's Clubs League total of 245-9.

The club's second string easily overcame Penn to record a facile nine-wicket Saturday league success with Will Bailey (3-28) and Darren Key (3-32) the chief destroyers as the visiting side were skittled for 97.

Matt Knight was another three-wicket man the next day as the Academy side comfortably brushed aside Worcester NT who were dismissed for a paltry 643.

Newcomer Matt Ormerod showed immense promise with an opening stint of 4-12 to help rout the opposition, while fellow new recruit Niran Chana also bowled well with figures of 1-6 from five overs.

Henry Newman's early departure failed to faze Evesham who needed just eight overs to knock off the runs thanks to the efforts of Chris Weaver and Will Lloyd.

Evesham's senior side faces a double-header this weekend with a home match against Beacon on Saturday and a visit to Aston Manor two days later.