A SIXTH wicket stand of 97 between Liam Ridings and Paul Bozward steered Per-shore to an unlikely Worces-tershire County League win over Hagley last Saturday.

The home side had slumped to 60-6 in the chase for 156 but 17-year-old Ridings and and his partner set about the task in a workmanlike manner with Bozward talking his young partner through several sticky moments.

The runs soon began to flow and Ridings notched his maiden half-century in league cricket with Bozward scoring an unbeaten 43 as Pershore won with two overs to spare.

The teenage batting star's father, Trevor, had earlier asked Hagley to take first use of a wicket showing traces of damp at one end.

Lea Hawkes and the youthful duo of Luke Dalley and Ben Bales made full use of the conditions as the visitors lost half their side with just 23 runs on the board.

A slight recovery took the total to 53-8 and an early finish looked on the cards until a fighting tail enabled Hagley to post a respectable 155 from their 50 overs.

Hawkes took 5-75 but it was the efforts of Ridings and Bozward with the bat that ensured a home success.

Sunday's scheduled first team Sunday Clubs League fixture was cancelled by Cha-ddesley Corbett so Ridings and Dalley found themselves in second team action.

A weakened home team proved no match for Pershore who rattled up 299-7 with Rob Handley top scoring with 67.

The introduction of veteran Martin Woodward then halted ten-man Chaddesley's impre-ssive reply and figures of 4-19, allied to superb figures of 2-15 from Tom Bales, proved the main reasons behind their collapse to 105 all out.

It had proved a far different take the previous afternoon when the Pershore attack was thumped for 246-8 by second in the table Hagley.

Graeme Rushin and Alan Davies got the reply under way in steady style with a stand of 33 in six overs but only Steve Emsley, with a season's best 46, provided support down the order in a disappointing response of 119.

Division One standings

P W L D A Pts

Old Elizabethans 12 9 0 1 2 218

Pedmore 12 7 2 1 2 179

Pershore 12 5 2 5 0 165

Chaddesley Cor 12 3 3 5 1 136

Droitwich Spa 12 4 5 3 0 132

Luctonians 12 3 4 3 2 130

Bromyard 12 1 4 5 2 123

Ombersley 12 3 4 4 1 120

Astwood Bank 12 3 4 4 1 118

Netherton 12 3 5 1 3 118

Romsley & Hunn 12 2 7 0 3 101

Hagley 12 1 4 6 1 100

Division Two (top)

P W L D A Pts

Evesham 12 5 2 5 0 176

Stourport 12 6 2 3 1 175

Feckenham 12 5 3 4 0 163

Eastnor 12 5 4 3 0 160

Bewdley 12 5 2 3 2 15