THE penultimate Saturday of the season for the Worcestershire Cricket League sorted out several of the major issues and left just a few loose ends for next weekend.

Pershore's three sides have all won their divisions this season for the first club triple in league history.

In Division One, Pershore confirmed themselves as league champions for a record third time as they exploited the spin-friendly conditions at home to Bewdley.

The visitors, having elected to bat, were hurried out for 73 in 32 overs mainly of spin from 18-year-old Taylor Pugh.

He cemented his place at the top of the wicket-taking lists with 6-18 alongside Lee Wilks’ four victims from the other end.

Pershore lost six wickets, including five to spinners, in getting over the line but the four bowling points were enough to guarantee them a Birmingham League place next season.

Worcester Nomads were confirmed as runners-up after beating Burghill and Tillington and Droitwich bounced back to third place, edging out Bewdley, by beating Hagley with Max Young taking 7-61.

In the relegation stakes, with the number to be demoted still unclear with one match left, Oldswinford and Stourbridge Social and Pedmore gave themselves hope of survival as Redditch and Bromyard were confirmed as the bottom two.

Bromyard continued their miserable form by losing at Pedmore and, from being bottom after five games and then rallying to seventh, they have slumped since the end of June, losing 10 games and gathering just 39 points in that time.

Redditch have slipped since they were in mid-table at the end of May and failed to find any form.

The loss to injury of leading batsman Russell Southwick was noticed again as they failed to make enough runs to defend against Colwall.

Third-from-bottom Oldswinford won for the seventh time, which effectively dragged Belbroughton back to the brink as well.

In Division Two, Cookley have only seven points to gain from the final match at Worcester Dominies to secure the title after they won at Enville.

Bredon and Stourport both won also with maximum points at home to Harborne and at Lye respectively with Matt Delo taking 7-29 for the Wyre Forest side.

If not for the consistency of the top three, Coombs Wood may have got into the top two by now.

A score of 124 from Matt Colwell saw them post the highest total of the day, 312-6 declared, before rushing out relegated Malvern for just 70.

Dominies lost at Evesham with only 10 men and Wormelow beat visiting Feckenham.

In Division Three, previous leaders Himbleton lost a vital chance at Chaddesley Corbett where Mohammad Saddiq and Waqur Ahmad shot them out for 105.

Chaddesley are now second behind Alvechurch and Hopwood, who thrashed Rushwick.

Avoncroft’s 101 was enough to win at relegated Alveley by 38 runs, while Old Vigornians needed 242 to win by just one at Bartestree and Lugwardine.

Nine-man Cleobury Mortimer made 49 all out and lost by 10 wickets to Ross-on-Wye, while Netherton were all out for 64 in losing by nine wickets to Claverley.

Division Four leaders Kempsey wrapped up their second successive championship by beating Himley thirds by three wickets.

They will be promoted again following another fine win, which saw skipper Zak O’Neill set a new divisional batting record in the process.

Barnards Green thirds stayed in second place, beating relegated Old Hill, and Kidderminster Victoria are nine points back but 14 in front of Bromsgrove after they beat them by two wickets.

Five Ways Old Edwardians beat Martley, Oldswinford and Stourbridge Social thirds squeezed past Harvington by 12 runs and Halesowen lost at home to Hanley Castle and Upton, who were inspired by Will Chambers' 125 not out.