Handsworth and Stourbridge are in pole position to claim the two available promotion places into next season’s Birmingham & District Premier Cricket League Division Two following a damp weekend of play-off action.

However, neither Whitchurch nor Fordhouses can yet be counted out ahead of next Saturday’s final pair of games.

The band of wet weather that obliterated Sunday across the whole region meant the scheduled second round play-off game at Fordhouses was abandoned without a ball bowled.

And after a frustrating day-long wait, several false dawns and a Herculean effort from the groundstaff at the Memorial Ground, Stourbridge and Whitchurch managed less than an over’s play between the downpours.

Prior to this, Warwickshire League champions Handsworth and their Worcestershire counterparts Stourbridge both claimed wins on Saturday and this unbeaten pair now meet at Hinstock Road on Saturday 28^th (11am start).

Unless the weather again intervenes, the winner of this game will next term be part of the West Midlands’ leading club competition.

The loser will then be in a tense runners-up contest with the winner of next Saturday’s second clash which sees South Staffs champions Fordhouses travel to Shropshire League winners Whitchurch in a battle of the round one losers.

The contest for the second promotion place will be determined by bonus points gained in defeat. Fordhouses, who claimed seven of the eight available from their setback against Stourbridge in round one, are therefore well-placed providing they claim a round three win in North Shropshire.

If Whitchurch prevail, they carry only five bonus points forward with them from their defeat against Handsworth, which leaves them more vulnerable to the losers of next weekend’s game between the round one winners.