REDDITCH secured the Worcestershire title and Birmingham League cricket next season after dodging bad weather for a maximum points win.

In Division One 1st XI only one match out of the six planned fixtures was completed as heavy, sporadic rain showers swept across the region, however this game had much significance as leaders Redditch were able to dodge the heavy showers enough to take full advantage as they made the long journey to Burghill and walked away with a maximum points win, the First Division title and the guarantee of Birmingham & District Premier League cricket in 2018.

Burghill won the toss and put the visitors in to bat. After posting a useful total of 208-9 the Redditch bowlers set about their business in a ruthless fashion and ensured the home side were never given an opportunity to mount an effective challenge as Waqas Ali (5-31) produced another fine spell of bowling to seal victory at a canter by 112 runs and take the divisional honours.

Four of the five other matches did get underway but the heavy rain put paid to any chance of a result in any and the game between Colwall and Pedmore was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

This means that Droitwich are now relegated and sets up next week’s clash between tenth placed Pedmore, who are eleven points clear of opponents and eleventh placed Eastnor as a huge survival battle as the winners will survive and the losers relegated.

In Division Two 1st XI four of the six planned matches started but all were eventually abandoned.

In the short window of cricket that was available, Chaddesley did enough to seal the title as thanks to Waqur Ahmed (84) and Mohammed Sajid (51) they posted a first innings total of 224-3 against Enville.

The result means Chaddesley are now twenty-four points ahead of second placed Evesham who can still mathematically finish on the same amount of points as Chaddesley but the leaders have won more points in the two games played between the sides.

Evesham can start the celebrations too as the weather ensured that they will be playing Division One cricket next season as third placed Bredon, needing a victory to keep up the pressure for promotion, were thwarted by the rain as they could only manage twelve overs play at home to Harborne before rain curtailed their outside chance of promotion.

However, who joins Harborne in Division Three next season is far less predictable as no less than five clubs are battling against the drop.

Lye (191 points), Old Vigornians (196 points) and Wormelow (199 points) will think they all need victories to be in with a chance of surviving whilst Coombs Wood (205 points) and Bromyard (208) would be foolish not to think the same.

An enthralling final day lies ahead, especially perhaps for the OVs who entertain Bromyard at New Road.

In Division Three 1st XI, Himbleton were another team to take full advantage of the weather as they secured a victory in a rain reduced run chase at home to Five Ways.

Paul Guy (4-27) helped restrict the visitors to a modest 128-6 in a rain reduced twenty five overs per side match and, after a further reduction, the home team's batting strength came to the fore as they knocked off the runs in just over fifteen overs.

This victory and the fact that Kempsey’s match against Bartestree was drawn now means that Himbleton have an unassailable lead at the top and are crowned Division Three champions.

Despite missing out on the title after a hard fought battle, second placed Kempsey can also celebrate too as the inclement weather which scuppered their chance of the title also caused the eventual abandonment of third placed Netherton’s match against Astwood Bank which means they are now out of reach in second place and secure promotion.

As in the other divisions there is a huge game on the agenda at the bottom of the table in the final round of matches next week.

A superb second century in two weeks by Martley’s Alexander Basford (104) set up a timely maximum points win over already relegated Himley which guarantees their safety for next season. However, as Basford was piling on the runs for Martley, the Rushwick batsmen were not.

In a game where a draw seemed likely, a poor batting performance paired with an impressive bowling by Sohail Malik (5-34) led to an ill-timed defeat which now means that the final week clash with second from bottom Astwood Bank is a relegation decider.

In Division Four 1st XI the rain intervened again as four out of the six planned fixtures were eventually abandoned.

One of the matches that did reach a conclusion was at Alveley, where third placed Tenbury who were looking for a maximum points win to maintain their outside chance of promotion, had to settle for a winning draw, which in turn guaranteed promotion for both leaders Hanley Castle and Upton and current second placed Bromsgrove.

The top two will battle it out for the title next week as Hanley Castle, leading by one point travel to second from bottom Worcester, who have it all to play for to avoid relegation, and Bromsgrove visit third from bottom Hallow who are still very much in danger of the drop after bottom club Old Elizabethans secured a winning draw against them thanks to Lewis Austin (71) and Howard Nicholls (55).

In Division One 2nd XI there was just one match that resulted in a victory, with Worcester closing up in fourth with a win over Evesham with Duncan Kasuso making 76.

Evesham’s total of just two points almost certainly condemns them to Division Three next year and they will be joined by either Eastnor or Pedmore in another remarkable match up as with their 1st XIs.

Stourport’s Neil Bailey made 103 for his side but then had to suffer Bewdley just nicking the winning draw points.

Stourport, as well as leaders Feckenham had to settle for bonus points and they now trail by five points with just next week’s match at Coombs Wood to catch up while Feckenham will be at Hagley.

Colwall’s Damien Berry took 5-51 to restrict Pedmore but his own side finished level on runs in a rain reduced innings so had to settle for a winning draw.

The other matches were abandoned.

In Division Two 2nds, Droitwich’s 20 points at home to Bromsgrove was almost enough to seal their title, until that is, news filtered through from Wormelow that Cookley had survived the weather and clinched a 24 points haul.

This means that Droitwich’s 23 point lead has been cut to 19 and these two will meet at Cookley next week to resolve the issues, with Droitwich needing just six points, but Cookley definitely needing to win, as they did in the earlier fixture.

Lye achieved a winning draw at home to Bromyard as did Burghill at Netherton and the match at Enville against Chaddesley failed to start.

In Division Three 2nd XI, Rushwick are champions in emphatic winning draw style with Matt Davies scoring an unbeaten 90 for his side.

Second placed OVs were held to a losing draw by Astwood Bank, and Fiveways also achieved a winning draw, just, against Bredon.

The highest team score in the league, on a gloomy day, was the 302-8 made by Stourport thirds at home to Avoncroft at a largely sunny Hartlebury and this included 112 from Alan Lockwood who joined his Stourport club-mate Neil Bailey, as sole century makers of the day.

The other matches were abandoned.

In Division Four 2nd XI, the leaders Himbleton’s match was abandoned at Kidderminster so with Himley losing to Martley, their title is assured.

Malvern beat Hanley, dismissing them for just 38 as Mike McCullum grabbed 5-17 and West Malvern won at Worcester after Sam Nicklin took 5-44 to restrict the home side to149.

James Herring then scored a rapid 93 not out to assure victory was achieved in time.

Hallow won by three wickets in a low scoring encounter with Old Elizabethans that ensure the old boys finish in the bottom two and finally, Tenbury had a winning draw with Alveley.

The Saturday Cup final was won by Cookley but only in a bowl out with Ombersley at Romsley and Hunnington.

There was just time before the rain for Cookley’s innings of 159-6, with Iain Roberts making 56 and when Ombersley did not get to the crease to commence their reply, hence the bowl out which Cookley won.

The Plate final between Barnards Green and Hagley, played at Cutnall Green, was won by Hagley.