WEST Malvern will be keen to strengthen their place at the top of Worcestershire Cricket League Division Four when they visit Old Elizabethans on Saturday (1pm).

The Mathon Court club will be on a high after earning a winning draw against rivals Hanley Castle and Upton last weekend.

A partnership of 117 between Will Jones (80) and Joseph Bird (56) steered West to 269-6 off 50 overs.

This did not look like being enough as Ollie Price (61) and Daniel Powell (68) batted strongly.

But when the pair were run out Hanley’s innings started to falter as they finished 26 runs short in a thriller.

Put in to bat West were quickly reduced to 28-3 as Will Chambers bowled Robin Lloyd and Phil Chaundy before running out Will Lloyd.

But they hit back as Matt Blatherwick-Hindmarsh and Bird found the ropes regularly.

Blatherwick-Hindmarsh was removed on 28 after Chambers took a sharp chance at gully off Tony Hutchings’ first delivery.

Jones strode out to join Bird and the pair went through the gears treating any loose delivery with disdain.

Jones reached his 50 first and Bird soon followed.

Their partnership was finally broken when Chambers found a way through Bird’s defence.

But his dismissal for 56 only brought more pain to the visitors as Matt Penkoks (42) continued the offensive.

A further 65 were put on in swashbuckling style before Jones was caught.

Needing 270 for victory Hanley’s reply started steadily before Grant Matthews (18) was run out by Will Lloyd. Ollie Price and Powell proceeded to up the rate.

The game was finely balanced before Price was run out by Blatherwick-Hindmarsh and Powell perished in similar fashion.

Chris Duckworth was trapped LBW by Penkoks before Hutchings was unleashed. He sent his first ball from Penkoks into the trees and smashed Rowan Darkin.

Chambers (39) attempted to blast Penkoks through the covers only to be well caught low down by Chaundy.

Gammon immediately struck as he spread Todd Matthews’ stumps. The home skipper then fired in a series of full deliveries to Hutchings whose technique was found out when he obliged Gammon (2-42) with a return catch for 26.

All results were possible but when Nick Bentley escaped a good shout for a catch behind the hopes of a home victory receded as both sides settled for a draw.