PERSHORE gained another 20 points in their quest to achieve promotion in an exciting match at The Bottoms on Saturday when they defeated Old Elizabethans by one wicket with two balls to spare.

The visitors got away to the worst possible start when they lost Proctor to Martin Johnson's opening delivery of the Worcestershire County League clash.

The Old Elizabethan batsmen, with the exception of Dave Phillips, never came to terms with a wicket of unpredictable bounce and opening bowler Lea Hawkes, bowling a mammoth 20 overs, kept the visitors on the back foot.

After opener Phillips was eighth out for a gritty 58 with the score at 93, the Old Elizabethan's innings soon folded, and they were all out for 114. Hawkes finished with impressive figures of 6-53.

In reply, Pershore had 57 overs with which to win the game but, the brittle top order was again exposed with opener Stephen Cooper (15) being the only player in the top seven to reach double figures.

After collapsing to 44-7, the target of 115 looked a long way off but Mark Stevens (34 no) and David Corfield (34) had other ideas and 30 overs and 90 minutes of outstanding application nearly saw Pershore home.

When Corfield was dismissed with ten runs still required, Stevens refused to let his concentration waver and guided his youthful partner Luke Eversham through a nail biting last five overs.

It was left to Eversham to hit the winning runs from the fourth ball of the last over.

Pershore, still in with a chance of a top two finish, visit leaders Redditch with the title still in the balance after Saturday's hosts could only attain a losing draw at Kington last weekend.

Evesham's dismal summer continued with a heavy defeat at home to Droitwich Spa.

The section's basement side were shot out for 112 in reply to the visitors' 250-4 in the 138-run reverse.

There was a welcome Division Four victory for Fladbury as they made a successful chase to overhaul Cleobury Mortimer's modest 144-6.

Geoff Holyland bowled a superb spell to help restrict the visitors but the ball was again on top after tea as Fladbury slumped to 76-6.

However, Paul Martin seized the initiative with an attacking innings of 54, including eight 4s and two 6s, from just 36 balls, sharing an unbroken stand of 69 with John Martin (24) to steer Fladbury home by four wickets.