OPENERS Dan Protherough and Joe Hill inspired Redditch to a comprehensive 145-run victory over rivals Worcester in this Division Three clash.

Protherough (56) and Hill (57) made a century stand before the visitors made the breakthrough. But there was to be no reprieve for the bowlers as Russell Southwick (24), Evan McCarthy (41) and Adam Gailey (39) all made useful contributions as Redditch amassed an impressive 281-7.

In reply, Worcester lost their first wicket to Southwick without a run being scored. Skipper Nev Mason then removed the middle order with figures of 5-51 leaving Steve Rose (2-23), Robin Biddle and Hill to mop up the remainder as Worcester were dismissed for 136.

In Division Two, Studley's rollercoaster season continued with a four-wicket defeat at fellow mid-table side Attock.

The visitors suffered an early setback when opener Mark Lewis was dismissed for a duck.

Studley recovered well as fellow opener Ashley Newdick (41) and Brandon Miller (35) put the Washford Fields side back on track. But the middle order struggled with the exception of Omaad Nazir (46) and the visitors finished their innings on 199.

In reply, Newdick, Nazir and Mark Lewis each took two wickets but that wasn't enough to stop Attock from reaching 202-9 for the win that saw them leap-frog Studley in the table.

Redditch 2nds lost their top of the table match at Shrewsbury by four runs, the Shropshire side taking the honours after a dramatic batting collapse from the visitors who lost eight wickets for just 38 runs.

Luke Davies (82) top scored for Redditch while there were two wickets apiece for John Lostitch and Steve Haines.