The heavy, thundery showers that were forecast arrived in mid to late afternoon in most parts of the county and once again affected results in many differing ways.

In the Premier Division leaders Old Hill 1st XI and Stourport-on-Severn 1st XI for whom Kester Charlegmagne (113) posted a first innings century, benefitted the most as they both managed to secure maximum point winning draws against Old Elizabethans 1st XI and Worcester Nomads 1st XI respectively before the heavy late afternoon rain put paid halted proceedings at Haden Hill and Whitegates Farm.

Brockhampton 1st XI also secured a winning draw in an important game at the lower end of the table against Redditch 1st XI which helped them move further away from the drop zone.

The other three matches in the division which included Astwood Bank 1st XI and Stourbridge 1st XI at Sambourne Lane, Pershore 1st XI, for whom James Abell (100) struck a first innings century and Droitwich Spa 1st XI at St. Peters Field and Chaddesley Corbett 1st XI and Bromyard 1st XI at Flagonners Green were all abandoned without enough overs bowled in the second innings to constitute a match, which in turn meant that Old Hill 1st XI stretched their lead to nine points over Stourbridge 1st XI at the top and Stourport-on-Severn 1st XI moved in to third ahead of Astwood Bank 1st XI and Pershore 1st XI who are both now around forty points of the pace.

It was a similar story in Division One as the matches between Barnt Green 2nd XI and Pedmore 1st XI at Cherry Hill Road, Burghill, Tillington & Weobley and Halesowen 2nd XI at Brick House Farm and Ombersley 1st XI and Colwall 1st XI at Stowe Lane were all abandoned in the second innings before positive results could be achieved.

In the three matches that did provide positive outcomes, Alex Chappell (7-44) and Carl Whyte (64*) were the main protagonists in Coombs Wood 1st XIs nail biting one wicket home win against Bromsgrove 2nd XI at Stewarts Road. Ikram Mussadaq (5-41) helped Lye CC 1st XI earn a maximum point winning draw against Worcester 2nd XI and Bewdley 1st XI ended up with a winning draw against Hagley 1st XI in a match that looked fairly well balanced before the rain ended proceedings for the day.

In Division Two after losing last week to leaders Himley 2nd XI, Bartestree & Lugwardine 1st XI closed the gap to just three points at the top after Ryan Trattell (60*) steered them to a six wicket, maximum point win against Kidderminster 2nd XI at Chester Road and leaders Himley 2nd XI settled for a twenty point win after chasing down Cookley 1st XIs first innings total for the loss of four wickets at the Cookley Recreation Centre. Netherton 2nd XI secured a winning draw against Oldswinford 1st XI to keep in touch with the leading pack. Astwood Bank 2nd XI beat Harborne 3rd XI by eight wickets in an unusually low scoring affair at the Knotts Ground and Bredon 1st XI secured a winning draw against Enville 1st XI which pulled them further clear of the drop zone.

In Division Three Pete Hawk (100) continued his prolific season so far by scoring his second century of the season to help Belbroughton 1st XI beat Martley 1st XI at the Jewry Field which in turn helped close the gap to just six points behind Barnards Green 2nd XI who were forced to settle for a winning draw after Joe Crichard (111) had posted a first innings century in a big first innings total against Stourbridge 2nd XI before the rain came to halt proceedings in the second innings.

The top two are now twenty five points clear of third placed Old Elizabethans 2nd XI who secured a winning draw against Himbleton 1st XI in another rain shortened game at Harrow Lane whilst fourth placed Netherton 2nd XI lost ground on the leaders as Lye 2nd XI secured a winning draw in their clash at Highbridge Road.

Elsewhere in the division, Avoncroft 1st XI secure a winning draw against Feckenham 1st XI and Indiana Jerram (120) posted a first innings century in Brockhampton 2nd XIs winning draw against Old Vigornians 1st XI in the battle of the two basement sides.

Stourport-on-Severn 1st XI consolidated their lead at the top of Division Four with a winning draw against Worcester Nomads 1st XI, who dropped to fourth behind Old Hill 2nd XI who stay in third after being on the wrong end of a draw against Five Ways Old Edwardians 1st XI at the Masshouse, whilst second placed Rushwick 1st XI secured a winning draw against Bromsgrove 3rd Xi which actually closed the gap to just ten points to the leaders.

In other matches in the division, Claverley 1st XI gained a winning draw against Harborne 4th XI who slipped into the drop zone as Chaddesley Corbett 2nd XI earned a winning draw against West Malvern 1st XI and finally Romsley & Hunnington 1st XI beat Coombs Wood 2nd XI to pull further clear at the foot of the table.

In the Win/Lose mid divisions a large percentage of matches were decided by the Duckworth/Lewis method as the majority of matches were rain affected at differing times of the day.

In Division Five leaders Droitwich Spa 2nd XI consolidated their position at the summit by gaining a fourteen run win against third placed Pershore 2nd XI by the Duckworth/Lewis (DL) method. Josh Jones (166*) ensured second placed Worcester 2nd XI stayed in touch as his first innings excellence secured a DL win against Barnt Green 3rd XI who remain bottom. Hagley 2nd XI are next after losing ground in the race for promotion at Lower Park where Bewdley 1st XI did enough to gain a DL win and Malvern 1st XI complete the top six after enjoying the best of the battle against Astwood Bank 3rd XI before the rain curtailed affairs at the Ramblers Ground which resulted in a DL win for the hosts.

In other matches in the division, Stourbridge 3rd XI beat Colwall 2nd XI by fifteen runs in a rain reduced match at the Green Field and Eastnor enjoyed a five wicket win against Pedmore 2nd XI again in a curtailed match decided by the DL method.

In Division Six Dhanushka Wijisinghe (4-20) returned excellent second innings figures to ensure top dogs Cutnall Green 1st XI beat Halesowen 3rd XI comprehensively. This proved to be the only ‘natural’ win in the division as all other results were decided by the DL method.

Todd Mathews (159*) compiled an excellent first innings century for second placed Hanley Castle and Upton 1st XI in their win against Enville 2nd XI at Enville Hall. Tenbury Wells 1st XI beat Alveley 1st XI by five wickets in a match that was building towards a competitive crescendo. Fourth placed Bromyard 2nd XI lost by six wickets to Kidderminster 3rd XI at Chester Road. Belbroughton 2nd XI beat visitors Kempsey 1st XI by 32 runs at Hackmans Gate Lane to leap-frog Halesowen 3rd XI in to fifth and last but not least Mohammed Nasar (122) added a first innings century for Claverley 2nd XI in their comprehensive win against Old Vigornians 2nd XI who are bottom and in need of an upturn in form.

In Regional Division Seven (North Group) four of the six matches reached natural conclusions before the rain came to curtail the other two matches which produced Duckworth/Lewis calculated results.

Oliver Baker (100) scored a first innings century for leaders Himley 3rd XI as they amassed a huge score which earned a DL win against Alvechurch & Hopwood 2nd XI, which in turn helped them increase their lead to forty six points as last week’s second placed team Stone 1st XI suffered defeat at the hands of Bromsgrove 4th XI at the Hedges Ground. This result helped both Harborne 5th XI who cruised to a ten wicket win against Five Ways Old Edwardians 2nd XI move in to second and Cookhill 1st XI move in to third place after Pete Alexander (129*) continued his excellent form in a DL method win against Romsley & Hunnington 2nd XI.

In other matches in the group Halesowen 4th XI lost ground on the leaders after suffering a seven wicket defeat at the hands of Oldswinford 2nd XI and Ben Eost (4-17 & 52*) delivered a fine all-round performance that put paid to Kidderminster 4th XI at Winterfold School.

In the South Group leaders Harvington 1st XI beat Martley 2nd XI by a wide margin to remain top of the table. Second placed Birlingham 1st XI kept up with the paces setters by recording a ten wicket win against Stourport-on-Severn 3rd XI at Walshes Farm Meadow second ground. Burghill, Tillington & Webley 2nd XI sit fourteen points further back in third place after winning a tight match against Bartestree & Lugwardine 2nd XI by three runs using the DL method.

Ombersley 3rd XI are in fourth after putting a string of wins together at the right time of the season and look like they could be title contenders after beating Worcester 3rd XI by a comprehensive nine wicket margin, whilst in the other match in the group Barnards Green 3rd XI beat Rushwick 2nd XI to move in to fifth and will need to win their game in hand to still have a chance of challenging for promotion.

Its tight at the top of the Regional Division Eight North Group as the top five teams are separated by just twenty one points, and all are in with a chance of making the play offs.

Himley 4th XI continue to lead the way by ten points after beating Netherton 3rd XI comfortably at Longmore (Pitch 2). Second placed Halesowen 5th XI lost for the second week in a row this time to third placed Lye 3rd XI who moved to within a point of the play-offs after Zafar Iqbal (146) scored over seventy per cent of his teams runs in the first innings to set up the DL win. Pedmore 3rd XI are a further point back in fourth after comprehensively beating Oldswinford 3rd XI by ten wickets in a low scoring match at Blakedown and Stourbridge 4th XI occupy 5th, eleven points off the promotion places after beating Enville 3rd XI by a wide margin at the Kinver Community Centre.

Farukh Zaib (200) and Muhammad Kaleem (117*) helped leaders Pershore 3rd XI amass a huge first innings total against Astwood Bank 4th XI at Hanbury to ensure they remain thirty two points clear at the summit of the East Group over second placed Avoncroft 2nd XI who produced a good performance to beat Himbleton by sixty one runs using the DL method.

Inkberrow 1st XI moved in to third at the expense of their opponents Droitwich Spa 4th XI who they beat by twelve runs and Old Halesonians 1st XI moved fifth after Ryan Andrews (123) scored a first innings century that helped post too many runs for Hagley 3rd XI to chase in the second innings and finally James Prescott (126) scored a second innings century to help Redditch Entaco 3rd X beat Belbroughton 3rd XI by five wickets

Only one match reached a conclusion in the South Group as the rain hit early and forced four of the five matches to be curtailed early before a result could be achieved which meant the status quo was preserved as in the only match that did reach a natural conclusion, third placed Bosbury 1st Xi missed the chance to close the gap to the play off places when they were beaten by Bromyard 3rd XI for whom Dean Corbett (109) and Stephen Corbett (71) set up victory with excellent first innings performances. .

Two matches reached natural conclusion in the West Group as two matches were abandoned and one conceded. In the contested matches Droitwich Spa 3rd XI beat Highley 1st XI by four wickets (DL method) which was enough to see them move into the play off places at the expense of Worcester Amigos 1st XI whose match was abandoned after they had compiled a huge first innings score against leaders Hallow Taverners 1st XI at Plovers Rise.

Elsewhere in the division, Alveley 2nd XI beat Cookley 2nd XI, the match between Bewdley 3rd XI and Old Elizabethans 4th XI was abandoned in the second innings before a result could be achieved and Chaddesley Corbett 3rd XI were forced to concede to Tenbury Wells 2nd XI.

In the Marches League Division One leaders Wormelow 1st XI had their wings trimmed by Woolhope 1st XI who beat them by the tightest of margins when the rain arrived in the second innings to curtail affairs with Wormelow just two runs short of the victory target. However, this result did not cause too much concern as second placed Canon Frome 1st XI were abandoned against Garnons 1st XI and third placed Goodrich 1st XI missed the missed the chance to close the gap when they were beaten by one hundred and six runs by Fownhope Strollers 1st XI.

Elsewhere, the match between Ross-on-Wye 1st XI and Builth Wells 1st XI was abandoned before a natural conclusion could be reached and the result between Almeley 1st XI and Luctonians 1st XI has yet to be uploaded.

Henry Powell (102) ensured Kington 1st XI continue to lead the way in Marches Division Two after his first innings century helped post too many runs for Woolhope 2nd XI to chase. Kington are now thirty three points clear of second placed Wormelow 2nd XI who lost by ten wickets to a Dales 1st XI who closed the gap to second place to just eleven points after being inspired by a fine all-round performance by Brad Davies (4-27 & 67*).

Elsewhere, Hay-on-Wye 1st XI beat Builth Wells 2nd XI by eight wickets. Knighton-on-Teme 1st XI recorded their second win of the season against Almeley 2nd XI and Presteigne 1st XI won by concession against Canon Frome 2nd XI who failed to field a team.

In Marches Division Three leaders Moccas 2nd XI beat Kington 2nd XI by seven wickets and second placed Bartestree beat the Dales 2nd XI by four wickets to stay in second just two points clear of Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 3rd XI who themselves a comprehensive win against Fownhope Strollers 2nd XI and finally the Herefordians 1st XI versus Ross-on-Wye 2nd XI match was abandoned early in the second innings.

In Division Nine (North Group), three matches were planned, however the match between Redditch Entaco 4th XI and Cookhill 2nd XI was cancelled without a ball bowled.

In the matches played, last week’s leaders Coombs Wood 3rd XI were beaten by Pedmore 4th XI which gave Old Hill 3rd XI the opportunity to go top if they could beat Five Ways Old Edwardians 3rd XI which they did by forty four runs using the DL method.

In Division Nine (South Group) James Thomas (4-19 & 50*) produced an excellent all round performance to help Pershore 4th XI to a seven wicket victory against Droitwich Spa 5th XI which propelled them to the top of the table after last weeks joint leaders Harvington 2nd XI were beaten by Malvern 3rd XI who moved in to third place.

In the other matches played in the group, Adam Hunaban (78*) led Hanley Castle & Upton 2nd XI to a nine victory against Barnards Green 4th XI in a rain curtailed game decided by the DL method. The match between Rushwick 3rd XI and Ledbury 2nd XI was abandoned before it could reach a natural conclusion and the match between Feckenham 3rd XI and Brockhampton 4th XI was cancelled before a ball was bowled.

Report submitted by Worcestershire County League