SOME familiar faces clashed as Fossils and Worcestershire 60-plus drew an end-of-season friendly.

Fossils were invited to bat first on a good but slow wicket at Birlingham and eventually declared on 169-9.

Opener Derek Ebbage played a starring role with 47 runs until he was lbw to George Batty in the 18th over.

He shared an opening stand of 45 with Dave Smith (8).

Kevin Gilbert (29) and Brian Scott (22) took up the challenge of pushing the score on.

Batty swooped again for the wicket of Gilbert before wicketkeeper Chris Taylor stumped both Bill Wood (18) and Liz Dean (16) off the bowling of Gerald Wadley.

Wadley claimed one and John Goodreds two more wickets as Fossils slumped from 155-4 to 160-9.

In reply, Colin Groves and Goodreds ended up playing out the draw on 146-8 at an almost identical run-rate.

County opener Colin Jones top-scored with 44 before falling lbw to the ever-green John Reynolds (3-30), while Bob Rogers added a quick-fire 16 and Dick Brown 20.

Wood, Gilbert and Smith fielded well to restrict Worcestershire.

Meanwhile, Fossils chalked up wins number 12 and 13 of the season as they beat both Leigh and Bransford and Badsey by four wickets.

The sides batting first both declared when they had enough runs to give Fossils a chance.

Leigh lost two quick wickets but Tony Williams (40), Gilbert (35) and Lance Mellor (35) gave Fossils a target of 189 runs in 35 overs.

Derek Ebbage (35) and John Reynolds (37) hit 64 in 10 overs.

Graham Thorne and Brown both added 14 before Fred Lloyd’s fine 23 not out helped Fossils to victory with five overs to spare.

Badsey failed to get revenge for a recent defeat to Fossils as they were restricted to 161-9 from 38 overs with Mike Powell (29) top-scoring.

Off-spinner Matt Jones bowled well for 3-31 from eight overs.

In reply, Tony Williams (36) and Dean (29) put on 79 in 20 overs.

Andy Wheeler, in his first Fossils game, crashed 11 fours in a 35-minute innings of 53 but his dismissal slowed the scoring rate.

But Rawlings and Thorne saw Fossils home with four overs left after some nervous moments.

In their previous game with Badsey, the villagers were all out for 186 with Mike Powell scoring 45 and Dave Powell 50no.

Mark Groves took 2-25, Colin Groves 2-30 and Malcolm Jones 2-27.

The Fossils won by four wickets with two balls to go with Malcolm Jones (48no) and Scott (29no) guiding them home.