WORCESTER'S Old Elizabe-thans finished their Birmingham League Division Two season on a high note when they beat Studley by 59 runs.

The win was thanks to an astonishing bowling performance by Matt Sprague who enabled OEs to finish fifth in the league.

Studley won the toss and elected to bowl first on a green pitch that looked to offer some assistance to the bowlers.

Openers Simon Macey (24) and Jamie Boyle (42), got the visitors off to a steady start with a 65-run partnership.

The next two wickets fell cheaply while Boyle battled it out, sustaining several blows to the head and body.

Jamie Alford (64 not out) came to the crease and looked to up the tempo from the first ball. His valuable undefeated knock was scored at exactly a run a ball and included five fours and two sixes.

The middle order then played around Alford and with everyone chipping in, the score passed 200 which had looked unlikely 20 overs previously. Harris (2-57) and Nazir (2-52) were the most successful Studley bowlers.

Needing to secure a win to stand any chance of division two survival, the OEs opening attack of James Brinkley and Jamie Alford conceded only 37 runs in the first 14 overs.

Sprague was then introduced and bowled a consistent line and length as he tore through the Studley batting line-up.

After eight overs, his figures of 3-17 looked impressive enough.

However he then claimed a further six wickets in the course of just seven overs, including the chance of a hat-trick at one point.

Four victims were bowled and in just 19 overs, Studley had been reduced from 72-3 to 148 all out with Sprague finishing with 15-3-42-9.

Meanwhile, Old Elizabe-thans II claimed a winning draw in their home match against Studley.

The draw was not quite enough to gain automatic promotion as they finished just two points behind second placed Beacon.

However, the result was buoyed by the news that Beacon have lost their Birmingham League status following defeat at Berkswell leaving OEs' fate in the hands of the league committee.

Old Elizabethans: 212-6 C. Dale 52, S. Burgoyne 52.

Studley 208-7 A.Stephens 4-70.