WORCESTER hopes of promotion to Division One are still in place following their draw with third placed Studley at Norton on Saturday.

Their final game is at Lichfield next Saturday and they take a five-point lead on their nearest rivals into the game. Studley's captain Stuart Harris won the toss and elected to field on a placid looking pitch which Worcester found to their liking as they amassed 223 all out of the final ball.

Leading run scorers were the experienced Chris Smedley with a fine 48, Ollie Keyte with 44 and James Brinkley with 40. Rob Gregory bowled well for the visitors to grab 5-37.

In reply, Studley stumbled to 33-3 and a Worcester victory was looking bright, but Gregory stood firm with the bat to make a slow but match-saving 45 not out and, with Rob Hall making 39, Studley reached 130-5 at the end of their overs.

Richard Belk and Phil Knight both claimed two wickets for Worcester as both sides took seven points.

Worcester II suffered a five-wicket defeat when they visited St George's.

The visitors only managed to reach 1l67-7 in their 50 overs thanks to Richard Hew carrying his bat for 77 not out, but the only other batsman to reach double figures was Andy Holt with 24.

St George's looked to be in trouble when they collapsed to 69-5, but a 99-run partnership between Nigel Vickers (39) and Andy Jackson (60) saw them home to 168-5 without further loss.

The in form Dormstone Cook bowled well for Worcester taking 4-51 to bring his tally of wickets in the league for the season to 29.

Worcester gained six points to St George's 18.