IN Division One First XIs a solid bowling performance from Worcester, led by Chris Steele with 4-49, earned them a hard fought winning draw at top of the table Redditch, which in turn allowed the chasing pack to claw back important ground at the top.

Second placed Cookley and third placed Bewdley, took full advantage of the leaders slip up as they both secured comfortable victories against Colwall and Feckenham respectively to breathe life back into the race for the title.

Jaimen Rudd took 5-25 as Cookley dispatched visitors Colwall by six wickets, in a rain shortened match, and Bewdley’s Jack Mills took 4-27 to ensure an exciting finish to the season may still be in store.

In other matches, Stourport kept their slim title chances alive, as Lee Waldron (5-60), helped dismiss Pedmore for 127 to set up a comfortable run chase for the visitors and subject Pedmore to a battle against relegation.

Eastnor kept their hopes of salvation alive with a battling winning draw at Hagley, who now need a strong finish to mount a challenge for the title and bottom club Droitwich, look to have hit form too late, as they secured their second win on the bounce against Burghill thanks to Phillip Thomas whose 5-57 helped them dismiss the visitors for a modest 168 before Ash Fearnall posted an impressive 101 to ensure the consecutive wins.

In Division Two first XIs despite a fine 118 from Bredon’s Martyn Draper twenty-nine points now separate the top two from the rest as second placed Chaddesley chased down third placed Bredon’s first innings total to widen the gap. Bilal Hassan (75) and Zeeshan Ahmed (62*) stayed cool under pressure to lead Chaddesley to victory in what could turn out to be a vital top of the table clash.

Meanwhile, pace setters Evesham, were being frustrated at home by Bromyard. After scoring a huge 337-4 thanks largely to a fine century from Johnson Lourdhusamy (103*) the home side could not dismiss the Herefordshire men and had to settle for a winning draw which now leaves them just one point clear of Chaddesley.

Elsewhere, Ben Hawker ensured Belbroughton’s faint promotion dream stayed alive as he took 5-35 to grab victory against Enville.

In an exciting game at Lye, the home side tied with local rivals Oldswinford which allowed Wormelow to climb the table as Richard Stafford’s 100 meant they crept past Old Vigornians first innings 235-4 to win by two wickets and the battling Coombs Wood, inspired by captain Ashfak Hussains 5-11 breezed past bottom club Harborne by nine wickets to make their survival a realistic proposition.

In Division Three First XIs, Himbleton increased their lead at the summit to 24 points after a comprehensive demolition of last week’s third placed team Bartestree and an unexpected home defeat for second placed Kempsey.

Alastair Pretty (137*) and Jon Critchlow (88) helped Himbleton post a massive 364-5 which proved far too many for the Herefordshire men as they went down by a mammoth 216 runs.

Meanwhile, second placed Kempsey were beaten for only the third time this season as Dan Wolstencroft produced a magnificent spell of bowling to take 7-23 for visitors Alvechurch.

Elsewhere, Netherton moved into third place following a 34 run victory against bottom club Himley for whom the drop now looks a certainty, Rushwick gave themselves breathing space at the lower end of the table following victory in the local derby at Malvern, Lewis Hooper was the hero for the visitors as he picked up six wickets in the Malvern innings.

Nick Porter (4-12) helped dismiss Astwood Bank for 110 to set up a comfortable victory for Five Ways and ensure their opposition remain firmly in the battle for relegation and Martley remain in the drop zone. They will be delighted and frustrated in equal measure by their performance as a fine undefeated 133 from Dominic Jones and 73 from Richard Birchley enabled them to post a huge first innings total of 306-3 at Jewry Field only to be denied a full points win by one wicket as Avoncroft clung on to finish way short on 139-9 in response.

In Division Four First XIs promotion favourites Bromsgrove and Hanley Castle both enjoyed maximum points wins, against Old Elizabethans and Claverley respectively, to secure their positions at the top of the tree.

Bromsgrove, led by Alistair Hickman, who fell agonisingly two runs short of a deserved century, posted 299-7 which proved too many for bottom club Old Elizabethans as they went down by 180 runs, whilst Hanley Castle dismissed Claverley for 87 to set up a comfortable seven wickets win.

In other matches, West Malvern and Tenbury lost ground at the top as they both suffered defeat at Kidderminster and Stourport respectively. For Kidderminster, Adam Davis and George Davis, bowled with freedom to share nine wickets to bowl out West Malvern for 200 and set up a victory by six wickets whilst Christian Parry’s 86 ensured Stourport posted too many for Tenbury to chase as they were defeated by 38 runs despite 89 from Tom Gloster.

Halesowen defeated lowly Worcester and Hallow recorded a rare win over Alveley to lift themselves from the relegation positions.

In Division Five First XIs, the top two clubs both enjoyed maximum point wins to set up a season finale next week.

Aman Hussain (6-28) enabled Barnt Green to bowl out Romsley for 88 to win by 58 runs and Ali Shah scored 81 and Dave Colesby took 4-17 to help Stourbridge overcome Old Hill by a narrower 20 run margin.

The top two meet next week at the Green Field in a huge match to decide the title, Barnt Green must enter the match as slight favourites with an eleven point cushion but a great finish is definitely on the cards.

In other matches, Redditch beat bottom club Enville in an exciting low scoring match by just 6 runs, to deny them a first win.

Brian Pearsall took 4-19 for Enville to dismiss Redditch for 102 but Ajmal Wafa was the hero for Redditch as his 4-20 just got Redditch over the line.

Oldswinford, despite 5-36 from Callum Parsons, suffered a heavy defeat at Harborne, thanks to 72 from Sohain Saroop. Pershore, thanks to Phil and son Archie Oxley (59) and (5-21) respectively beat Droitwich by 106 runs.