With just one Win/Lose/Draw and five Win/Lose matches to go in the top five divisions the race for promotion and battle against relegation is hotting up nicely in each division.

In the Premier Division Worcester Nomads 1st XI breathed life into the race for the title by beating leaders Old Hill 1st XI by a tight seven run margin at Whitegates Farm.

This result helped second placed Stourbridge 1st XI close the gap to just eleven points after Jujhar Johal (91*) led them home to a four wicket victory against lowly Droitwich Spa 1st XI at the War Memorial Ground.

In other matches, Stourport-on-Severn 1st XI reignited their title challenge after Charlie Foley (7-31) produced a fine first innings performance with the ball which kept the attacking Chaddesley Corbett 1st XI batsman in check at Longmore, and ultimately set up a comfortable five wicket win which moved them back in to striking distance thirteen points behind Stourbridge 1st XI.

Pershore 1st XI were another team that made the most of the leaders poor result when they swept aside visiting Brockhampton 1st XI by seven wickets at the Bottoms. The South Worcestershire outfit are a further twenty one points adrift in fourth but with the Win/Lose format around the corner, only a fool would write them off at present.

Elsewhere, Astwood Bank 1st XI were beaten at home by Bromyard 1st XI for whom David Taylor (5-21) took five first innings wickets to set up a one wicket victory in a thriller at Sambourne Lane, a result that looks like it gives the Bank too much to do nearly sixty points adrift in fifth place, and finally Tom Goodwin (81) and Taylor Pugh (4-40) were the main protagonists in Old Elizabethans 1st XI home win against Redditch 1st XI which cemented their mid division status.

In Division One, Muhammad Wali (5-16) returned excellent second innings figures for leaders Lye 1st XI who managed to extend their lead at the top to eighteen points as second placed Pedmore 1st XI were beaten at home by the fast improving Coombs Wood 1st XI and third placed Ombersley 2nd XI who are nearly thirty points adrift in third now could only muster a losing draw against Hagley 1st XI.

Elsewhere in the division, Worcester CC 1st XI kept their promotion hopes alive with a five wicket win against Halesowen CC 2nd XI at Seth Somers Park. Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 1st XI beat Barnt Green 2nd XI who are seventeen points adrift in eleventh place by six wickets at Cherry Hill Road and Bewdley 1st XI took the win points against basement side Bromsgrove 2nd XI who need an upturn in form if they are going to survive.

It very much looks like two from three at the top of Division Two now with Himley 2nd XI (247 points) on top after Matt Jeavons (6-16) routed Oldswinford 1st XI in the second innings after Stuart Alston (6-46) had taken six in the first for the home team.

Alvechurch & Hopwood 1st XI (240 points) retained second place by beating Kidderminster 2nd XI in a low scoring match and Marcus Ashcroft (5-35) ensured Bartestree & Lugwardine 1st XI (239 points) continued their promotion pursuit as he led the way in the second innings to help set up a tight ten run win against Netherton 1st XI who will be disappointed to have not chased down a total well within their reach.

The top three are now forty eight points clear of fourth placed Astwood Bank 2nd XI who beat Enville 1st XI thanks to contributions from Adam Warbrick (72) in the first innings and Paul Boycott (5-32) in the second. Bredon 1st XI climbed in to fifth after Joel Cox (93) helped them chase down the Redditch 2nd XI first innings total for the loss of just three wickets and finally Jamie Brighton (92) led from the front in Cookley 1st XI's important win against visiting Harborne CC.

Barnards Green 2nd XI continue to lead the way in Division Three after Ben Cooke (149*) and Josh Dickenson (120) posted first innings centuries in a comprehensive win against Himbleton 1st XI at Harrow Lane. Belbroughton 1st XI retained second after beating Stourbridge 2nd XI by eight wickets. Lye 2nd XI are third, twenty two points further behind after recording a four wicket win against Feckenham 1st XI and Netherton 2nd XI are fourth just nine points further back after Noman Waqar (133*) led his team home to a five wicket victory against Martley 1st XI for whom Alexander Basford (97) fell just three runs short of a century in the first innings.

In other matches in the division, Nathan Dobbins (92*) and Jude Rees (79) helped Old Elizabethans 2nd XI secure a winning draw against Old Vigornians 1st XI for whom Steve Campbell-Ferguson (143*) finished unbeaten in the second innings run chase and Brockhampton 2nd XI recorded an important six wicket maximum points win against Avoncroft 1st XI which buys them more breathing space at the lower end of the table.

In Division Four Harry McDonald (6-42) took six second innings wickets to help Romsley & Hunnington 1st XI beat leaders Stourport-on-Severn 2nd XI by forty three runs at Walshes Farm Meadows and second placed Rushwick 1st XI lost their position when Muhammad Aqib Zaheer (154*) struck an excellent undefeated first innings century to help Coombs Wood 2nd XI record another important win in their fight for survival.

These two results threw the race for the title and particularly promotion wide open again as Worcester Nomads 2nd XI took full advantage of the situation by gaining a maximum points win against West Malvern 1st XI which helped them go second. Claverley 1st XI also closed the gap to the promotion places and sit in fifth just nineteen points adrift of second after beating Chaddesley Corbett 2nd XI by seven wickets.

Elsewhere in the division, Sajid Aurangzeb (50 & 4-31) helped Old Hill 2nd XI secure a winning draw against Bromsgrove 3rd XI at Haden Hill and Luke Miley (82) top scored for Five Ways Old Edwardians 1st XI as they chased down Harborne 3rd XI's first innings total (320-6) for the loss of just four wickets.

In the Win/Lose format Divisions,

Division Five leaders Droitwich Spa 2nd XI lost by two wickets to Pedmore 2nd XI which helped second placed Worcester 2nd XI move to within ten points of the summit after they beat Pershore 2nd XI by the same margin. Hagley 2nd XI sit in third place, twenty seven points off the top two after Lewis Watt (129) helped them post a first innings score that proved too much for Stourbridge 3rd XI to chase. Pershore 2nd XI slip to fourth, four points in front of another improving team Bewdley 2nd XI who beat Malvern 1st XI (for who Henry Hardinges scored 82) by three wickets.

Elsewhere, Josh Emery (128) helped Eastnor 1st XI post too many for Colwall 2nd XI to chase at Clenchers Mill Lane and Barnt Green 3rd XI posted an important win against Astwood Bank 3rd XI despite the beast efforts of Jake Browning (5-36).

It was a similar story in Division Six as Ian Robinson (5-5) helped basement side Old Vigornians 2nd XI beat leaders Hanley Castle & Upton 1st XI, a result which in turn helped Tenbury Wells 1st XI (for whom Ed Kemp took 5-16 in an eight wicket win against Belbroughton 2nd XI) and Bromyard 2nd XI (who beat Halesowen 3rd XI by seven wickets) ensure the race for promotion got a whole lot tighter as now only fifteen points separate the top three with Claverley 2nd XI (who beat Kempsey 1st XI by a fairly wide margin) thirty points adrift in fourth.

Elsewhere in the division, Steve Ralph (87) inspired a Kidderminster 3rd XI victory against Alveley 1st XI and Cutnall Green 1st XI beat Enville CC 2nd XI by a wide margin in a high scoring match.

In the Regional Divisions, after beating Five Ways Old Edwardians 2nd XI by six wickets, Himley 3rd XI continue to dominate in Division Seven (North Group) forty six points ahead of Harborne 5th XI who lost to Halesowen 4th XI by 3 wickets at Earls High School and a further point in front of Cookhill 1st XI who are third after Peter Alexander (109*) scored and undefeated second innings century to secure the points against Stone 1st XI who had set a challenging target thanks to an excellent contribution from Chris Harler (134) I the first innings.

The rest of the teams in the division all look too far away to mount a serious title challenge.

In the Division Seven (South Group) Harvington 1st XI continue to be the team to chase as they returned after a free week to beat Rushwick 2nd XI at the Alf Tolley Memorial Ground, a victory that saw them move twenty six points clear at the summit as second placed Birlingham 1st XI were beaten by Martley 2nd XI at Jewry Field.

Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 2nd XI are the only other team that look to have a chance of winning the group after they consolidated third position with a win against Ombersley 3rd XI who now lie in fifth place seventy five points behind Harvington 1st XI.

In the Regional Division Eight Groups, with four matches remaining the race for the play-off places is as follows;

Saturday 2nd September

Division Eight (Quarter Final Qualifiers as @ 29th July 2023)

Nb; The top four qualifiers will receive a home draw in the quarter-final round)

Qualifier 1 Pershore CC 3rd XI (222 pts – 10 Wins)

Qualifier 2 Hallow Taverners CC 1st XI (219 pts – 9 wins)

Qualifier 3 Wormelow CC 1st XI (215 pts – 9 Wins)

Qualifier 4 Ledbury CC 1st XI (207pts – 9 Wins)

Qualifier 5 Himley CC 4th XI (206 pts – 8 Wins)

Qualifier 6 Worcester Amigos CC 1st XI (206 pts – 8 Wins)

Qualifier 7 Canon Frome CC 1st XI (205 pts – 8 Wins)

Qualifier 8 Droitwich Spa CC 3rd XI (200 pts – 8 Wins)

Next

9th Avoncroft 2nd XI – 191 pts/ 8 Wins,

10th Brockhampton 3rd XI – 183 pts/ 6 Wins 11th Inkberrow 1st XI – 181 pts / 7 Wins

12th Goodrich 1st XI -177pts/7 Wins;

Quarter Final Matches;

Pershore CC 3rd XI v Droitwich Spa 3rd XI

Hallow Taverners CC v Canon Frome CC 1st XI

Wormelow CC 1st XI v Worcester Amigos 1st XI

Ledbury CC 1st XI v Himley CC 4th XI

In the Regional Division Nine Groups, with four weeks remaining the race for the play-off places is as follows;

Saturday 2nd September

Division Nine (Semi-Final Qualifiers as @ 29nd July 2023)

Nb; The top two qualifiers will receive a home draw in the quarter-final round)

Qualifier 1 Pershore CC 4th XI (212 pts / 14 matches = 15.14 pts per game)

Qualifier 2 Old Hill CC 3rd XI (156 pts / 12 matches = 13.00 pts per game))

Qualifier 3 Harvington CC 2nd XI (173 pts /14 matches = 12.35 pts per game)

Qualifier 4 Droitwich Spa CC 4th XI (161 pts / 14 matches = 11.50 pts per game)

Next

5th Coombs Wood CC 3rd XI – 134 / 12 matches = 11.14 pts per match

6th Barnards Green CC 4th XI – 153 / 14 matches = 10.93 pts per match

Semi Final Matches;

Pershore CC 4th XI v Droitwich Spa CC 4th XI

Old Hill CC 3rd XI v Harvington CC 2nd XI

Report submitted by Worcestershire County League