Worcestershire County Cricket League

Premier Division

As we move into the second half of the season, leaders Stourbridge (who won the Worcestershire County League Knockout Cup in mid-week) continue to set the pace following a comfortable seven wicket victory at home to Stourport who need to find their form quickly to avoid finding themselves in a relegation battle. Chaddesley Corbett

maintained the pressure on the leaders as they sit just five points behind in second after a solid second innings batting performance saw them chase down Old Elizabethans first innings total of 210-7.

Redditch remain in third place, thirteen points adrift of second position as Oliver Mason (77) helped them chase down

Old Hill’s first innings total of 227-9 for whom

Zahid Kafiat amassed a quick-fire (94). Astwood Bank went fourth on their own with a comfortable six wicket victory against Old Elizabethans who have lost the last two and drop another position. Pershore, who have won the last two, now find themselves in mid-division and are looking like they may mount a challenge at the right time of the season as Chris Miles (53) led them to a first innings total that proved too many for relegation threatened Evesham to chase, while Bewdley, another team who have won the last two and may be finding their form at the right time of the season, as they travelled to basement side Feckenham and won by four wickets.

Division One

Colwall had no problems in maintaining top spot as Andrew Robertson (5-10) led them to a very comfortable nine wicket victory against

Pedmore at Stowe Lane. Second-placed Hagley had to work a little harder for their victory at

Burghill but eventually won by 36 runs to stay just sixteen points behind.

Elsewhere, Oliver Cox (85*) helped Bredon beat last week’s third-placed

Coombs Wood by twenty runs a result that meant that Cookley, who beat

Droitwich Spa at home, moved into third position.

Meanwhile Bromyard, who backed up last week’s win against Hagley with another comfortable win, this time at home to Worcester Nomads

moved into fourth place. Belbroughton continued their good form thanks again Tom Mckenzie who took a second innings 4-15 to grab the points at Oldswinford, for whom Alfie Mayall took 5-36 in the first innings.

Division Two

Joint leaders Ombersley and Lye both won convincingly again, this time against relegation threatened Enville and thirdplaced Barnt Green, to move sixty points clear of the chasing pack. Harry

Annable (4-27) and Sam Oakley (68) were the chief performers for Ombersley in their victory, whilst Ratnesh Sahni (115) and

Waqas Ahmed (65) ensured the win for Lye despite Zain Ahmad taking 5-46 for visiting Barnt Green. Halesowen are fourth following a comfortable nine-wicket victory against Brockhampton, who are now in danger third from bottom. Himley are fifth after Oliver Siviter took a first

innings 6-25 to ensure an easy ten wicket win at Astwood Bank. Himbleton are in middivision as Greg Dale (4-50), Sean Jenkins (73*) and Alasdair Pretty (53) guided them to victory against basement side

Bartestree, who need to turn their form around if they are going to avoid the drop. Meanwhile Alistair

Hickman (92), Lewis Cordes (53) and Greg Chinn all scored first innings half-centuries as

Bromsgrove compiled 311-9 in an emphatic win against Kidderminster at Chester Road.

Division Three

Conor Warby took a first innings 6-27 for leaders Netherton, who ensured they maintained the pace at the top by beating Stourbridge by eight wickets. They remain 22 points clear of secondplaced Old Vigornians for whom Osman Fiaz (101) scored a fine first innings century which led them to victory over basement side Pershore to keep the pressure on the leaders.

Old Hill remain just three points off the promotion places in third following a regulation sevenwicket win against Avoncroft, who slip two places to sixth behind

Barnards Green, who beat lowly Rushwick by three wickets to move fourth.

Fifth-placed Martley, were assisted by Thomas Vale (75) and Oliver Dunks (6-44) in a return to winning ways against

Old Elizabethans.

Division Four

Harborne returned to winning ways following last week’s defeat as Baldev Raj (73) eased

them to a comfortable sixwicket victory against

Five Ways OES, for whom Usmaan Mahmood

scored a fine first innings 90.

Worcester, who were second last week, are fast becoming the masters of tense finishes as they tied for the second time this season, this time against a spirited Astwood Bank at Norton Barracks. This result gave Stourport the chance to win back second position, which they duly did by beating Bromsgrove by six wickets at the Hedges Ground. In other matches, Simon Mauger (114) and James

Rawlings (55) helped fourth-placed Bewdley compile a first innings 336-5 at Lower Moor, which proved too many for visiting Halesowen to chase. Imran Wahid scored a magnificent undefeated 178 not out for Romsley in their much-needed eight wicket win against fifthplaced Alvechurch, for whom Edd Rodgers (76) and Curtis Beech (55) scored first innings half centuries.

And finally Eastnor made the trip to the Home Ground and came away with a six-wicket victory against Coombs Wood.

Division Five

The top four all posted wins. Leaders Lye travelled to St Peter’s Field and beat Droitwich Spa by a comfortable 95 run margin. Fergus Neve grabbed a first innings 5-10 as second-placed West Malvern stayed in touch by beating Claverley by nine wickets. Third-placed Chaddesley Corbett had Mohammed Husnain (106) and Holden Whittaker (84*) to thank as they chased down Hagley’s impressive first innings total of 267-5, in which Joe Lennon scored a fine 155.

Muhammad Asim

Masood (130), Ahrtesham Waqar (76) and Jawad Nazir (69) helped fourth -placed Netherton amass the highest score of the day, a huge 392-8, which proved too many for visiting Hanley Castle & Upton to chase, despite half-centuries from Todd Mathews (72) and Matt Pratley (51) in reply. In other matches Tom Fairclough took 4-29 in the first innings and Max White (106) scored a fine second-innings century to guide Malvern home against Colwall, for whom Kit Lister scored (78). And finally Roger Dixon (102), Malcolm Jones (101) and Derek Austin (66) helped Worcester Nomads compile another huge first innings score at Whitegates Farm (358-4) which proved enough to beat a spirited Feckenham by over one hundred runs, after Jack Watkins returned second innings figures of 5-48 for the home team.