On a very hot and sultry day a full program of Win/Lose/Draw matches was again played across the County in the top five divisions.

In the Premier Division after last weeks defeat and a shaky start at Walshes Farm Meadow against Astwood Bank 1st XI on Saturday leaders Stourport-on-Severn 1st XIs middle order led by Ted Baylis (69) and Captain Andrew Siwicki (58) answered the call to help post a first innings total that proved too many for the Bank to chase as Nikhil Jose (6-37) returning excellent second innings figures for the home team to help secure maximum points. Stourport-on-Severn 1st XI now enjoy a thirty point lead at the top of the table as the team that beat them last week, nearest rivals Stourbridge 1st XI collapsed from a healthy position of (153-3) to (178 all out) against Brockhampton 1st XI when seamer Michael Harling (5-62) returned to deliver a devastating spell which saw him take five of the last six wickets to fall in quick time to earn his team a welcome maximum points win after the visitors were travelling well in pursuit of the first innings total only to lose their last seven wickets for twenty five runs in what must have been a crazy final thirty minutes at the Parks.

Old Hill 1st XI took full advantage of the Stourbridge result as they narrowed the gap in third place to less than a win after Jahanzib Khan (63*) helped them chase down the Redditch 1st XI fist innings total in which Oliver Mason (75*) had proved to be the mainstay. Although still in with a chance of the title the Haden Hill outfit are now forty seven points behind the leaders and will need to rely on winning crucial matches in the future (particularly against the leaders) and the help of one or two other teams if they are going to mount a serious title challenge.

Elsewhere, James Kinder (88) helped Pershore 1st XI get back on the horse by beating Ombersley 2nd XI after a couple of indifferent performances that had seen then slip to mid division. They are also not out of it yet but like Old Hill will need to win the majority of their remaining eight matches and rely on the help of other teams around them if they are going to fulfil their undoubted potential in the fifty over format.

At the foot of the table Bromyard 1st XI secured an important three wicket win against Old Elizabethan 1st XI in a low scoring game at the Memorial Ground and Colwall 1st XI will be ruing the thirty-one extras (including twenty-five wides) they conceded in the first innings as they eventually had to settle for a losing draw after a two hundred and seven (207) run third wicket partnership between Robert Cook (107) and Tom Newman (97) had put them in a potential match winning position against visitors Droitwich Spa 1st XI at (209-3) only for the late order to misfire as they failed to capitalise in the last ten overs as they finished fifteen runs short of the target, nine wickets down in the second innings at Stowe Lane.

In Division One Waqas Ahmed (5-34) returned excellent first innings figures to help long time leaders Chaddesley Corbett 1st XI beat bottom of the table Worcester 1st XI by a comfortable six wicket margin which opened up a twenty eight point gap over second placed Worcester Nomads 1st XI who suffered what would have been an unexpected loss to lowly Bewdley 1st XI after returning old boy Damon Gariff (5-49) spoiled the party in the second innings as the home team were dismissed twenty six runs short of the target in an unusually low scoring match at Whitegates Farm.

Third and fourth placed Barnt Green 2nd XI and Coombs Wood 1st XI took full advantage of the of the Nomads slip up by gaining maximum points wins. First innings half centuries from Fergus Roll (83), Milan Dogra (70) and Isaac Hewetson (51) helped Barnt Green 1st XI beat Pedmore 1st XI comfortably at Cherry Hill Road and Coombs Wood 1st XI produced an excellent second innings team bowling performance to beat fifth placed Lye 1st XI who were bowled out in the second innings just eleven runs short of the target with over twenty overs of the match remaining.

Elsewhere in the division, Oldswinford 1st XI beat Hagley 1st XI by two wickets at Hagley Hall to move out of the drop zone and Sam Preece (138) compiled a first innings century for Halesowen 2nd XI in an eighty four run win against relegation threatened Kidderminster 2nd XI at Chester Road.

Thomas Wall (69) and Spencer Grove (55) scored first innings half centuries for Division Two leaders Himley 2nd XI in what proved to be a comfortable sixty two run maximum point home win against Bartestree & Lugwardine 1st XI which enabled them to stay three points clear of Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 1st XI for whom J Stockdale (111) scored a first innings century in a maximum points win against Cookley 1st XI for whom Jon Stanaway (6-87) took six first innings wickets. Bromsgrove 2nd XI lost a little ground and now find themselves eight points behind second place as they were forced to settle for a winning draw against a battling Bredon 1st XI who finished the second innings forty runs short of the target, nine wickets down when the overs ran out for the home team at St. Godwalds Park. Astwood Bank 2nd XI are next, ten points further adrift in fourth place after Tom Downing (70) and George Haslam (5-29) proved to be the main contributors in a resounding maximum points win against Harborne 3rd XI who have now dropped to seventh position after what looks like a dip in form with the bat. Enville 1st XI moved in to fifth by beating Alvechurch & Hopwood 1st XI by a six wicket margin at Enville Hall and finally Belbroughton 1st XI recorded an important win against basement side Himbleton 1st XI to move further away from the relegation zone.

Zaheer Suliman (162), Sakander Farooq (85 & 4-59) and Ibrar Hussain (5-21) all delivered outstanding contributions for Division Three table toppers Netherton 1st XI in their maximum points win against Old Vigornians 1st XI at the Kings School. The Black County outfit now enjoy what looks like being an unassailable sixty six point lead over Barnards Green 2nd XI who moved in to second position after gaining a maximum points win against Feckenham 1st XI at Mill Lane largely thanks to first innings contributions from Jake Hill (92), James Styles (74) and Ben Sutton (62) which helped build a first innings total that proved too many for the home team to chase and moved the South Worcestershire based outfit three points ahead of Stourbridge 2nd XI who had to settle for a winning draw against Brockhampton 2nd XI at the War Memorial Ground) In other matches in the division, Chris Pearman (72) and Nathan Dobbins (58) helped Old Elizabethans 2nd XI gain a maximum points win against Coombs Wood 2nd XI after Luke Allen (5-52) had done the business with the ball in the first innings, a win that saw the City of Worcester based outfit move in to fourth place just one point behind Stourbridge 2nd XI and one point ahead of Avoncroft 1st XI who were another team who were forced to settle for a winning draw after first innings contributions from William Baker (123), Ben Warwick (94) and Josh Cound (64) helped the home team post well over three hundred in the first innings which proved to be far too many for a gritty Martley 1st XI to chase as they also posted over three hundred in a second innings thanks to contributions from Thomas Vale (82), Alexander Basford (60) and Richard .Birchley (57*) and finally Redditch 2nd XI earned a winning draw at home to Old Hill 2nd XI to maintain their positions in seventh and eight positions respectively.

In Division Four the top four teams all posted victories to keep the status quo. Netherton 2nd XI stayed top by securing a comfortable win against Five Ways Old Edwardians 1st XI at Highbridge Road. Daniel Walker (4-6) and John Owens (4-29) shared eight second innings wickets between them for second placed West Malvern 1st XI in a seven wicket win against Eastnor 1st XI who are now in trouble at the foot of the table. Tom Grainger (122) helped Claverley 1st XI keep up with pace setters as his first innings contribution helped end Rushwick 1st XIs winning streak at the Alf Tolley Memorial Ground and fourth placed Lye 2nd XI beat Romsley & Hunnington 1st XI by eighty runs to ensure that just thirty points separate the top four.

Elsewhere, George Hatfield (94) helped Stourport-on-Severn 2nd XI chase down Bromsgrove 3rd XIs healthy first innings total to stay fifth and two ‘young guns’ Fin Goodman (85) and Lewis Franklin (50) helped Worcester 2nd XI gain an important maximum points win against Chaddesley Corbett 2nd XI which keeps them in touch with the pack just above the relegation zone. With eight match days remaining in the divisional season (three, Win/Lose/Draw matches and five Win/Lose matches) there is still a lot to play for in all divisions with only Netherton 1st XI in Division Three looking nailed on promotion winners and potential title winners at this stage, and with plenty of teams at the top and bottom of each division still to play each other there will no doubt be lots of twists and turns in the fight for promotion and relegation ahead of us which no doubt promises to produce an enthralling climax to the season in all divisions.

In Division Five the top four all recorded victories which opened up a forty one point gap to Malvern who are in fifth after losing to Halesowen CC 3rd XI for whom Ben Dunn (92) top scored in a match that saw them win by just one run. Leaders Droitwich Spa 2nd XI enjoyed a comfortable win against Colwall 2nd XI after amassing over three hundred in the first innings. They sit eighteen points clear of second placed Pershore 2nd XI who chased down Pedmore 2nd XIs first innings total for the loss of just two wickets thanks to unbeaten second innings half centuries from Muhammad Zubair (75*) and Iqbal Kasana (53*). Level on points in third place are Worcester Nomads 2nd XI after they kept up with the pace setters by beating Bewdley 2nd XI in a tight match at Lower Park by six runs whilst Harborne 4th XI eased past Astwood Bank 3rd XIs first innings total for the loss of just two wickets to stay fourth just two points behind and finally in the basement battle at the Glebe, Joe McGovern (91) and Sam Johnstone (5-51) were the star performers for Barnt Green 3rd XI in a comfortable win against Hanley Castle & Upton 1st XI which now sees the bottom two locked on points at the foot of the table.

Pravdeep Sangha (100*) scored an undefeated second innings century to help Hagley 2nd XI stay top of Division Six with a seven wicket victory against Himley 3rd XI. Cutnall Green 1st XI remained in second place, thirty three points adrift after posting well over three hundred in the first innings which proved too many for visiting Kempsey 1st XI to chase. Despite a first innings century from Jake Brigdale (113) last weeks third placed team Stourbridge 3rd XI were beaten by three wickets by Kidderminster 3rd XI at Chester Road which allowed Enville 2nd XI, for whom Jason Swan 102 compiled a first innings century in a five run win against Alveley 1st XI, to move one point above in third. Whilst elsewhere Old Vigornians 2nd XI beat Belbroughton 2nd XI to stay in mid-division and Bromyard 2nd XI skittled out Cleobury Mortimer 1st XI for a low total in a nine wicket win which helped lift them out of the relegation zone at the expense of their opponents.

Tenbury Wells 1st XI stamped their authority in the race for the Division Seven title as the early season pace setters travelled to Bartestree and won the top of the table clash against Bartestree & Lugwardine 2nd XI by a seven wicket margin thanks to Andrew Adams (77*) unbeaten second innings half century, The West Worcestershire side are now nineteen points ahead of Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 2nd XI who climbed in to second position after posting a comfortable seventy run against Five Ways Old Edwardians 1st XI at the Masshouse. Claverley 2nd XI also took advantage of Bartestrees defeat to move level on points with them just two points behind Burghill after beating an in form Rushwick 2nd XI by five wickets at Sandford Park.

In other matches in the division Jason Straker’s (4-20) first innings return set up a seven wicket victory for fifth placed Birlingham 1st XI against Ombersley 3rd XI, Barnards Green 3rd XI recorded an important win against Oldswinford 2nd XI which gives them breathing space at the bottom end of the table and despite the best efforts of Bromsgroves Paul Huchins (100*) Stourport-on-Severn 3rd XI beat Bromsgrove 4th XI by four wickets to widen the gap to the relegation zone to twenty-two points. The Division Eight bowlers have yet to come up with a plan to stop Harvington batsman Craig Witheford as the prolific opening batsman notched his six century of the season (148*) to set up yet another win for his team, this time against Martley 2nd XI at the Jewry Field. This latest effort takes Witheford past the one thousand run mark (1065) in only twelve matches at a remarkable average of 152.14, with a strike rate of over a run a ball. An outstanding achievement so far, with power to add !

This latest win for Harvington 1st XI helped to open up a twenty three point gap to the chasing pack as second placed Romsley & Hunnington 2nd XI were soundly beaten at Norton Barracks by Worcester 3rd XI for whom Josh Jones (163) and Benny Ware (94) made hefty first innings contributions. This defeat helped other teams close the gap to the promotion places notably Alvechurch & Hopwood 2nd XI who were conceded to by Highley 1st XI who could not raise a team now sit just 2 points behind in third place and Halesowen 4th XI who are fourteen points further adrift in fourth position after beating Cookley 2nd XI by a five wicket margin. Elsewhere, Jamie Reading-Widdett (95) who fell just five runs short of a deserved first innings century and Arjun Jawanda (6-36) were the main protagonists in Old Elizabethans 3rd XIs win against Kidderminster 4th XI,  Richard Rowland (92) and Neil Taylor (72*) helped Stone 1st XI close the gap in mid division with a nine wicket win against Feckenham 2nd XI.

In the Regional Division Nine Groups Jim Clifford (165) scored a first innings century against second placed Droitwich Spa 4th XI to set up a comfortable win for Harborne 5th XI which in turn opened up a forty-five point gap at the top of Division Nine (North) which almost guarantees them a home quarter-final tie as Group winners if they finish well this season as both third placed Netherton 3rd XI and fourth placed Stourbridge 4th XI also missed the opportunity to narrow the gap at the top as they were beaten by Coombs Wood 3rd XI (for whom Mohammad Arif (90*) contributed heavily in the second innings to see his side home to an eight wicket win and Himley 4th XI who triumphed by three runs at the Green Field respectively.

Elsewhere in the division, Shaun Connolly (82 & 4-14) had some ‘fun in the sun’ in Alveley 1st XIs win against Bewdley 3rd XI and Oldswinford 3rd XI beat Enville 3rd XI to move further away from the relegation zone Pete Alexander (159) scored an excellent first innings century as Division Nine Group (Central) leaders Cookhill 1st XI continue to lead the way after beating Hagley 3rd XI by three hundred runs. They now sit twenty two points ahead of second placed Droitwich Spa 3rd XI who beat third placed Harborne 6th XI to open up a twenty five point gap of their own.

In other matches in the group, Adam Gailey (113) posted his second century in a row in Redditch Entaco 3rd XIs win against Old Elizabethans 4th XI, James Priddey (5-13) helped set up a comfortable eight wicket win for Himbleton 2nd XI against Astwood Bank 4th XI and Evan Stokes (80) and Mathew Athey (4-15) were the stand out performers for Avoncroft 2nd XI in their big win against Chaddesley Corbett 3rd XI. Dave Shuck (200*) smashed an unbeaten first innings double century and Lee Shuck (118) supported well with an excellent first innings century of his own to propel Hallow Taverners 1st XI to the top of Division Nine (South) by ten points after beating West Malvern 2nd XI by a wide margin and long-time leaders Bosbury 1st XI who seem to have lost form at the wrong time of the season were well beaten by Brockhampton 3rd XI, for whom Paul Harrison (5-33) retuned excellent first innings figures..

Elsewhere, Gulzar Ahmed (83 & 5-16) and Muhammad Sufyan (79) ensured Kempsey 2nd XI stayed on track for a play-off place, level on points with second placed Bosbury 1st XI by beating Bromyard 3rd XI by a wide margin. Bredon 3rd XI are just three points further adrift in fourth after beating basement side Eastnor 2nd XI and Colwall 3rd XI moved away from Eastnor 2nd XI at the foot of the table by gaining a win against Malvern 2nd XI.

With just two weeks remaining in the Regional Division Ten Groups things could not be tighter in Division Ten (North). Lye 3rd XI currently hold a one point lead at the top after Abdullah Zahid (125) and Zafar Iqbal (105*) contributed first innings centuries in a victory against Halesowen 6th XI and second placed Pedmore 3rd XI beat Stourbridge 5th XI by twenty-one runs whilst in the other match played in the group Old Hill 3rd XI ended Belbroughton 3rd XIs hope of a play-of place when they won by a tight two wicket margin

In Division Ten (East) Avoncroft 3rd XI continue to lead the way after being conceded to by Cookhill 2nd XI who could not raise a team. They are now twenty eight points clear at the top from Old Halesonians 1st XI who beat Feckenham 3rd XI by nine wickets, whilst in the other scheduled matches Redditch Entaco 4th XI beat Pedmore 4th XI by ten wickets and Five Ways Old Edwardians 3rd XI conceded to Halesowen 6th XI.

In Division Ten (South/East), after beating Worcester 4th XI by six wickets Inkberrow 1st XI need just six points from their remaining two matches to guarantee a home quarter-final tie in the Play-Off matches) However, the battle for the second play-off spot looks intriguing as Pershore 4th XI hauled themselves back in t the race by beating Droitwich Spa 5th XI to move to within just one point of them with just two games remaining. Whilst in the other match played in the group Bredon 3rd XI beat Harvington 2nd XI by a mere eight runs despite Dave Snell (103*) compiling an undefeated second innings century at Anchor Lane for the home team

In Division Ten (South/West) Worcester Nomads 3rd XI cemented themselves as Group winners and guaranteed themselves a home Play Off Quarter-Final tie after beating Barnards Green 4th XI by thirty nine runs. Tenbury Wells 2nd XI are guaranteed to finish second after Jez Stokes (113*) and Edward Corfield (66*) set up a comfortable win against Malvern 3rdXI who cannot catch them now as they only have one match remaining and the gap is more than twenty points whilst Rushwick 3rd XI were forced to concede the other scheduled match against Brockhampton 4th XI as they failed to raise a team