Report submitted by Worcestershire County League

The second week of win/lose cricket in Division One 1st XI saw minimum change in the divisional placings as most of the teams in the top half of the table won their matches.

Top club Stourport-on-Severn made the long journey to bottom of the table Burghill and came away with a comfortable victory.

Second-placed Worcester thanks to Bryn Evans (96) and Muhammad Raja (69) posted a healthy first innings score which proved too many for lowly Cookley to chase as Scott Shephard took 5-49 in the second innings.

Bewdley had a tight 6 run win against Chaddesley Corbett at Longmore as Waqas Ahmed (4-23) had reduced the visitors to 109 all out but, yet again Bewdley's left arm spinner Jack Mills was the hero as he took 4-13 to seal victory by a narrow margin.

In fourth place are Evesham following a home victory against early season pace setters Worcester Nomads, Mohammed Fahim Maan was the instigator for the home team taking a second innings 4-22 to ensure a comfortable win. Feckenham are now fifth thanks to an undefeated first innings 86 from Jamie Griffiths which helped them post too many for Pedmore to chase and Hagley are now mid table after Christian Levitt's first innings 4-26 dismissed visitors Colwall which led to an easy win.

Just forty points separate the top six, still all to play for.

It’s a little tighter at the top of Division Two 1st XI following defeat for leaders Bromyard and second-placed Oldswinford. Only ten points now separate the top four teams.

Bromyard travelled to the Black Country and watched their nemeses Carl Whyte score another half century against them to help Coombs Wood post a first innings total which, despite 68 from Zahid Saeed proved too many for the visitors to chase. This victory saw Coombs Wood leapfrog local rivals Oldswinford (who were defeated by Old Vigornians) into second spot.

Bredon stay in fourth following a tight one wicket victory at Himbleton. Alastair Pretty (110) proved the mainstay for the home team but despite Greg Dales (4-59) efforts with the ball Charlie McVickers 68 proved enough to steer the visitors to a tight win.

In other matches Belbroughton remain in fifth as they travelled to Enville and won the mid-table battle by over one hundred runs, Droitwich beat bottom club Wormelow by nine wickets and Kempsey and Bartestree played out a scores level draw as Josh Jones’ excellent second innings (117) for Kempsey just failed to get the home team across the line.

In Division Three 1st XI the top of the table is now looking very tight as Alvechurch were knocked off top spot by Harborne thanks mainly to all-rounder Mark Turner who ran into form with 5-28 and 43 not out to help secure victory by four wickets. This in turn promoted Rushwick back to the top by just one point as a match winning 169 opening partnership between Stuart Parker (76) and Duncan Cooper (71) helped the home team overcome Netherton by seven wickets and Lye who chased down Bromsgrove's first innings total for the loss of just two wickets to move level in second with last week's leaders Alvechurch

Elsewhere, Martley are now fourth as they produced another excellent batting performance to score a first innings 324-8 which proved far too many for relegation threatened Hanley Castle and Upton to chase, Zaffron Ahmed scored 88 and James East took 5-23 to lead Five Ways Old Edwardians to comfortable victory against Avoncroft for whom Paul Athey took 5-27 and Eastnor won a tight battle against Malvern by nine runs to heap more pain on the bottom club who would have thought they were well on course for their first win of the season.

In Division Four 1st XI the top four remain the same as they all gained victories.

Table toppers Halesowen beat West Malvern by thirty five runs to remain in pole position twenty-seven points clear of their nearest rivals Romsley & Hunnington who, thanks to the individual all-round performance of the day by Steve Randall (99 & 4-20), eased to victory against Tenbury Wells, Stourbridge stay third after beating Alveley by fifteen runs and Astwood Bank fourth following a four wicket victory at Hallow Taverners.

In other matches, Kidderminster climbed to fifth thanks to a magnificent undefeated first innings 129 from James Williams and a half century from fifteen-year-old Matt Hattfield helped them to victory against Stourport and Claverley travelled to Himley and won by seven wickets.