WORCESTERSHIRE Cricket League Division One’s 1st XI continues to provide thrills and spills as three of the top four lost out to bottom half sides.

Cookley had the most dramatic finish, ending up with one wicket remaining, just four runs short of Feckenham’s total as over 500 were scored.

In addition, Hagley slipped to a 44 runs defeat at home to Pedmore and Bewdley, leaders until last week, suffered another reverse at the hands of Burghill.

These results allowed Worcester, winners by just two wickets over Droitwich and Redditch, who successfully chased Eastnor’s 260, to close the gap at the top so that just 17 points covers the top five as follows:-

Cookley and Worcester 189, Hagley 187, Redditch 173 and Bewdley 172.

Worcester had Mo Adeel’s knock of 118 not out to thank for their win at Droitwich for whom Australian Jordan Renau made 99. Russell Southwick was Redditch’s hero with 109 at Eastnor.

Feckenham are up to 6th, 31 points behind Bewdley and Stourport, who squeezed home by one wicket at Colwall are 7th with Burghill 8th.

Next week Cookley visit Pedmore, Worcester receive Burghill, Bewdley entertain Burghill and Hagley must go to Redditch in a vital clash.

In Division two 1st XIs, the top three sides had no such alarms although Bredon only beat Lye by one wicket. Evesham crushed Enville who were 66 all out in chasing the hosts’ modest 135 and Chaddesley cruised to a comfortable win over Old Vigornians.

In other games, Belbroughton beat Coombs Wood, Bromyard beat Oldswinford and Harborne won for only the second time as they defeated Wormelow.

The top trio are all on the road next week as Bredon come to Worcester to play the OVs, Evesham head for Lye and Chaddesley are at Oldswinford.

In Division three 1st XIs, who can stop the free-scoring Kempsey batsmen Certainly not Martley who were soundly thrashed by Zak O’Neill making 105 and skipper Chris Jones who made 101 as Kempsey maintained their 37 points lead over Himbleton who were making similar mincemeat of the Malvern attack as Stuart Dickenson scored 101 and Jon Critchlow 92.

Elsewhere, Netherton defeated Bartestree and have almost caught them up in 4th place, Avoncroft beat Rushwick, who slipped to the relegation positions, Astwood Bank slipped up at home to Alvechurch and Fiveways thrashed bottom side Himley who look adrift at the foot of the table.

Who will go down with them is perhaps of more interest than the race to leave this division at the top end as Rushwick, Martley and Astwood Bank are covered by only five points at present.

Next week, Astwood Bank visit Himley, Martley will be hoping to win at Malvern and Rushwick have the toughest game at home to 3rd placed Bartestree.

In Division four 1st XIs, Bromsgrove and West Malvern are still joint leaders after Bromsgrove won at Stourport and Matt Penkoks’ 100 not out eased west Malvern to a comfortable win over Alveley.

Tenbury won by one wicket at Hanley Castle to climb above them to 3rd place, 13 points behind the top two and Claverley took just 20 balls to pass Hallow’s 43 all out.

Halesowen beat Kidderminster and Worcester beat OEs with Ali Raza scoring 96 after Tony Rees made an undefeated 104 for the old boys.

In Division Five, Barnt Green’s recent form suggested a straightforward win at home to Enville and so it proved as they scored 412-4 in their 45 overs and then bowled their visitors out for 95. Fergus Roll made 118 and all the other batsmen passed 70.

Stourbridge’s Sam Rogerson scored 110 as his side defeated second bottom Droitwich and the bottom trio’s discomfort was completed by Harborne losing out to Romsley for whom Craig Sayles took 5-30.

Old Hill’s Vipal Gautam took 5-49 to send Pershore to defeat and Redditch climbed above Pershore by winning at home to Oldswinford, Matt Greenway scoring an undefeated 112.