OLD Elizabethans thirds moved 21 points clear at the top of Worcestershire League Division Nine thanks to a 23-run victory over local rivals Droitwich Spa thirds.

It did not run smoothly for the Worcester side as they lost Andrew Gandon for 12 and Jamie Reading-Widdett for a duck to slump to 17-2.

But a steady 90-run partnership between Tim Leary and Nick Pullan put OEs back on track.

Leary went for 45 and then Pullan holed out for 49 to leave the home side on 142-4.

Thomas Hodgson (4-29) and Cam Moseley continued to chip away at the middle order as Simon Ward, Seb Wilkins and Benjamin Allen fell for 13, 35 and 15 respectively.

Andy Mitchell was bowled by Nick Sankey and Will Gurpinar-Morgan run out as OEs finished on 206-9.

In reply, Dave Harris did the damage early on for OEs, removing the top three batsmen to leave Droitwich 43-3.

Gandon got the key wicket of George Taylor for 26 as well as Martin Keen and Moseley, while Gurpinar-Morgan removed Carl Thomson and Benjamin Foster to leave Droitwich 102-8. When Reading-Widdett ran Sankey out for nine, the game looked to be over.

Some solid batting by the last wicket pairing of Jamie Grainger (36) and Hodgson (26) gave OEs a scare, but Droitwich ran out of overs, finishing on 183-9.

Droitwich slipped to fifth while Ombersley thirds climbed to fourth, a win behind third-place Worcester thirds, after beating bottom club Alveley by eight wickets. Most of the fixtures fell victim to the rain. Only two matches took place in Division Six with Kidderminster thirds missing the chance to move into the promotion places as they lost to Stourbridge thirds.

Birlingham stayed at the summit in Division Eight after dismantling Astwood Bank fourths for 77, a score which they breezed past without losing a wicket.

Hanley Castle & Upton seconds failed to spoil the party in Division 10 as Stone stormed to a six-wicket win to take the title with three matches remaining.

In the Division 12 play-off group, Worcester fourths beat Tenbury Wells seconds to maintain their position at the top, 15 points clear of Coombs Wood thirds.

RESULTS.

WORCESTERSHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION SIX.

Alveley 0-0 5, Pedmore 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Oldswinford & SS CC 2nd 157 a/o 2 W Parvez 4-34, Enville 2nd 161-2 20 J Bromfield 54, B Smith 51. Enville won by 8 wickets.

Evesham 2nd 0-0 5, Cookley 2nd 0-0        5. Match abandoned.

Hallow Taverners 0-0 5, Belbroughton 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Harborne 4th 0-0 5, Old Vigornians 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Stourbridge 3rd 181-9 20, H Munir 50 - S Clarke 4-30, Kidderminster 3rd 111 a/o 5 A Patel 4-20. Stourbridge won by 70 runs.

DIVISION SEVEN.

Bromsgrove 4th 167-4 5 P Hutchins 54, Harvington 1st 171-2        20 G Burford 93*. Harvington won by 8 wickets.

Bromyard 2nd 0-0 5, Old Hill 3rd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Highley 0-0 5, Cutnall Green 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Kidderminster 4th 0-0 5, Barnt Green 3rd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Rushwick 2nd 120 a/o 1, Bartestree & Lugwardine 2nd 121-1        20 I Strangward 50. Bartestree & Lugwardine won by 9 wickets.

Himley 3rd 105 a/o 2 M Guest 4-20, Stourport-on-Severn 3rd 108-3 20. Stourport-on-Severn won by 7 wickets.

DIVISION EIGHT.

Astwood Bank 4th 77 a/o 0, Birlingham 80-0 20. Birlingham won by 10 wickets.

Cleobury Mortimer 103 a/o 2 C Jones 4-14,          Bredon 2nd 104-4             20. Bredon won by 6 wickets.

Burghill Tillington & Weobley 2nd 286-8 20 O Maund 91, T Walsh 75, Claverley 2nd 137 a/o 5 D Morris 55* - J Lewis 4-32. Burghill, Tillington & Weobley won by 149 runs.

Kempsey 2nd 0-0 5, Alvechurch & Hopwood 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Martley 2nd WC 20, Eastnor 2nd LC 0. Martley won by concession.

Wyre Foresters 0-0 5, Avoncroft 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

DIVISION NINE.

Stourbridge 4th 104 a/o 2, Five Ways Old Edwardians 2nd 105-3 20. Five Ways Old Edwardians won by 7 wickets.

Himley 4th 0-0 5, Romsley & Hunnington 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Old Elizabethans 3rd 206-9 20 T Hodgson 4-29, Droitwich Spa 3rd183-9 7. Old Elizabethans won by 23 runs.

Alveley 2nd 89 a/o 1, Ombersley 3rd 91-2 20. Ombersley won by 8 wickets.

Tenbury Wells 0-0 5, Worcester 3rd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

West Malvern 2nd 0-0 5, Himbleton 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

DIVISION 10.                  

Harborne 5th 0-0 5, Cookhill 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Malvern 2nd 0-0 5            , Halesowen 4th 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Pershore 3rd 0-0 5, Hallow Taverners 2nd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Hagley 3rd 129 a/o 1, Redditch Entaco 3rd 130-2                20 G Eley 68*. Redditch Entaco won by 8 wickets.

Hanley Castle & Upton 2nd 103 a/o 2 P Durnell 4-20, Stone 106-4 20. Stone (Champions) won by 6 wickets.

DIVISION 11.

Belbroughton 3rd 0-0 5, Netherton 3rd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Chaddesley Corbett 3rd 130 a/o 2, Old Halesonians 131-3 20 M Yasin 90. Old Halesonians won by 7 wickets.

Droitwich Spa 4th 0-0 5, Harborne 6th 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Enville 3rd 0-0 5, Old Elizabethans 4th 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

DIVISION 12 (PROMOTION PLAY OFF).

Barnards Green 3rd 0-0 5, Stourport-on-Severn 4th 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Coombs Wood 3rd 0-0 5, Rushwick 3rd 0-0 5. Match abandoned.

Worcester 4th 175 a/o 20 H Davies 4-35, Tenbury Wells 2nd 124 a/o        6. Worcester won by 51 runs.

DIVISION 12 (PLATE COMPETITION).

Five Ways Old Edwardians 3rd 137 a/o 2, Bromyard 3rd 138-2 20 M Reece-Pitt 100. Bromyard won by 8 wickets.

Oldswinford & Stourbridge Social 3rd WC 20, Barnards Green 4th LC 20. Oldswinford & Stourbridge Social won by concession.

Pedmore 3rd LC 20, Evesham 3rd WC 20. Evesham won by concession.