Tight at the top in Worcestershire League Division One

Having just lost to Redditch by a whisker leaders Bewdley had another thrilling finish at neighbours Stourport as they scored 234-9 in their overs largely due to Rob Combes’ 95.

But then with one ball remaining they took the home side’s final wicket at exactly the same score to earn a tie and stay top of the pile.

Cookley were easy winners at long-time leaders Worcester thanks to Dan Soley’s 5-30 and they jumped to second just five behind Bewdley.

Worcester have slipped to fourth, now 12 adrift of Hagley who trail Cookley by a solitary point after they won a close match at struggling Droitwich.

Redditch beat Burghill, Tillington and Weobley while Feckenham defeated Eastnor with a third-wicket partnership of more than 100 between Flynn Duggan and Josh Stacey.

Pedmore won for the second week running, beating Colwall by 76 runs.

Division Two leaders Bredon kept up the pressure on the chasing duo but could only manage a narrow four-run victory at bottom side Harborne.

They stay 12 points in front of Evesham who made the long march to Wormelow and returned with the spoils, reducing the home side to 115 all out.

Chaddesley Corbett are third, still three points behind Evesham as they saw off a determined challenge from Enville which included Greg Tomkins making 91.

Belbroughton slipped up from their recent heady run, losing at Oldswinford and Stourbridge Social, and Old Vigornians beat Coombs Wood at Peopleton.

The final match was an interesting affair as George Leighton again scored a century for Bromyard at Lye in their 228-9.

But the home side set off in a rush and won the match in 27 overs to drag their opponents back towards the relegation dogfight.

Kempsey recovered from the previous week’s reversal at Avoncroft and although the injured Sam O’Neill was absent easily saw off third-placed Bartestree and Lugwardine’s 258 all out with 259-3 with 13 overs in hand.

It was thanks to a 174-run partnership for the third wicket between Simon Dorrell (101) and Zak O’Neill who was unbeaten on 99.

Himbleton easily beat Five Ways Old Edwardians to stay 22 points back in second place and are now 29 ahead of Bartestree.

Fourth-placed Netherton were unable to make any progress with no points from a heavy nine-wicket defeat, scoring just 65 at home to Astwood Bank.

Early strugglers Malvern have climbed above Avoncroft into fifth after they beat them thanks to Tom Hale’s 110.

Alvechurch and Hopwood have also closed up in seventh, one point in front of Astwood Bank after Mike Reuben’s 6-21 from six overs rushed Rushwick to defeat.

The final match was a relegation battle as Himley prevailed over Martley, bouncing back from the previous week’s hammering at Rushwick.

In Division Four West Malvern maintained their impressive start, beating Worcester by 75 thanks to Phil Chaundy’s 137.

Bromsgrove are 13 points behind and won a close match at Kidderminster with Dan Collins scoring 110 not out in response to James Williams’ 88 for the hosts at Chester Road.

Hanley Castle and Upton beat Stourport, staying three points behind Bromsgrove, and Tenbury continued their impressive run by beating Alveley thanks to Keir Sellars’ 86.

Claverley won at Halesowen and Hallow beat Old Elizabethans.

In Division Five Barnt Green won the clash of the top two but only in the final over did they eclipse Stourbridge’s 271-9 to move 12 points in front at the halfway point of the season.

Old Hill are a full 51 points further back after they were beaten at home by Oldswinford but stay two in front of Pershore who won by 10 wickets at bottom-placed Enville.

Droitwich are winless after Romsley and Hunnington beat them and Redditch put some breathing space between themselves and the bottom with a narrow win at Harborne.

FIRST XI DIVISION ONE

Hagley 260-6 20, Droitwich 233-7 6. Hagley won by 27 runs.    

Eastnor 216 ao 3 W.Ahmed 81, T.Bartels 4-57, Feckenham 219-2 20 F.Duggan 77*, J.Stacey 59*. Feckenham won by 8 wkts.

Pedmore 225-7 20 W.Holt 67, Colwall 149 ao 3 N.Brown 82, C.White 5-36. Pedmore won by 76 runs.

Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 196-9 3 B.Owens 58, Redditch 197-3 20 T.Field 77, B.Weal 63. Redditch won by 7 wkts.

Bewdley 234-9 16 R.Combes 95, Stourport 234 ao 16 G.Massingham 64, A.Siwicki 53. Match tied.

Worcester 151 ao 1 H.Lewis 52, D.Soley 5-30, Cookley 152-0 20 J.Rudd 72, S.Cook 65. Cookley won by 10 wkts.

DIVISION TWO

Chaddesley Corbett 314-6 20 A.Khan 86, W.Ahmed 60, Enville 215-8 5 G.Tomkins 91. Chaddesley won by 99 runs.

Bredon 269 ao 20, Harborne 265 ao 8. Bredon won by 4 runs.

Bromyard 228-9 6 G.Leighton 120, A.Iqbal 4-17, Lye 230-6 20 S.Nawaz 87. Lye won by 4 wkts.

Old Vigornians 267-7 20 A.Riaz 63*, A.Fiaz 58, Coombs Wood 203 ao 6 G.Abbas 66, A.Parker 4-47. Old Vigornians won by 64 runs.

Belbroughton 230 ao 6, Oldswinford & Stour Social 232-6 20. Oldswinford won by 4 wkts.

Wormelow 115 ao 2 A.Sagheer 4-21, Evesham 116-6 20 J.Lourdhusamy 64. Evesham won by 4 wkts.

DIVISION THREE

Himbleton 270-8 20, Five Ways Old Edwardians 156 ao 4    . Himbleton won by 114 runs.

Himley 234-7 20 T.Wall 64*, Martley 207 ao 6 W.Nicholls 4-42. Himley won by 27 runs.

Bartestree & Lugwardine 258 ao 5 K.Smith 61, W.Munn 53, Kempsey 259-3 20 S.Dorrell 101, Z.O’Neill 99*. Kempsey won by 7 wkts.

Malvern 277-8 20 T.Hale 110, Avoncroft 162 ao 4. Malvern won by 115 runs.

Netherton 65 ao 0, Astwood Bank 66-1 20. Astwood Bank won by 9 wkts.

Alvechurch & Hopwood 275-7 20 A.Markham-Jones 74, Rushwick    120 ao 3 M.Reuben 6-21. Alvechurch won by 155 runs.

DIVISION FOUR

Halesowen 230 ao 7 T.Grainger 5-23, Claverley 234-8 20 A.Iqbal 78, L.Miley 72. Claverley won by 2 wkts.

Hallow 230-5 20 C.Whittenbury 58, D.Pugh 50, Old Elizabethans 221-7 5 A.Rees 70. Hallow won by 9 runs.

Kidderminster 262 ao 5 J.Williams 88, Bromsgrove 266-4 20 D.Collins 110*. Bromsgrove won by 6 wkts.

Stourport 134 ao 1, Hanley Castle & Upton 138-4 20. Hanley Castle won by 6 wkts.

Alveley 146 ao 3, Tenbury 150-8 20 K.Sellars 86. Tenbury won by 2 wkts.

West Malvern 281-6 20 P.Chaundry 137, R.Lloyd 64, Worcester 206 ao 5. West Malvern won by 75 runs.

DIVISION FIVE

Stourbridge 271-9 6, Barnt Green 274-5 20. Barnt Green won by 5 wkts.

Droitwich 162 ao 3, Romsley & Hunnington 166-4 20 M.Brady 54. Romsley won by 6 wkts.

Enville 92 ao 0 C.Witherford 6-25, Pershore 93-0 20. Pershore won by 10 wkts.

Harborne 129 ao 4, Redditch 132-7 20 L.Phelan 50. Redditch won by 3 wkts.

Oldswinford & Stour Social 127 ao 20, Old Hill 118 ao 4. Oldswinford won by 9 runs.