Division One

The battle to stay in the top-flight of the Birmingham Premier League has become a case of three-from-five following the penultimate round of red ball action.

None of the bottom five managed to force a win with the eight points Wolverhampton took from their losing draw against Halesowen being the best return among the struggling quintet.

In a rain-hit game at Danescourt Road Joe Stanley claimed 5-61 for the hosts but half-centuries from Luke Tulacz and Matt Pardoe saw the visitors to an above-par 230 all out in 49.2 overs.

Wolverhampton then battled their way to 96-7 in the 32 overs that remained against a Halesowen attack in which Ed Bragg (4-19) stood out.

These hard-earned draw points lifted Wolverhampton out of the relegation zone and above Ombersley who suffered a 68-run defeat at second-placed Knowle & Dorridge.

Neil Pinner (74) and the in-form George Baines (52) led the way for K&D before a late flurry from veteran Chris Cheslin took the hosts beyond 200.

Ishaan Arora and Gareth Andrew shared six wickets for Ombersley but their top-order fared less well against home paceman Ollie Currill who reduced them to 46-7 by claiming 5-30 from 14 excellent overs.

Andrew then helped Jake Howl (52) add 78 for the eighth wicket but this only delayed the inevitable with Ombersley eventually being bowled out for 140 in the 45^th over.

West Bromwich Dartmouth remain rooted to the foot of the table following their 73-run defeat at upwardly-mobile Berkswell who are now in third place following a slow start to the season.

Ever-consistent Nick James hit four sixes while top-scoring with an 89-ball 78 before home skipper Neil Dexter made a useful 44 as Berkswell closed on 244-8.

Dartmouth were then bowled out for 171 in the 47^th over as James completed a fine personal performance by grabbing 4-37 from 16 immaculate overs of slow left-arm. Opener Bruce Thomason made 63 for the visitors and Tim Maxfield added 40.

Moseley are 11 points above the drop line after being bowled out for 173 then slipping to an eight-wicket defeat at fourth-placed Himley.

Ollie Walker’s 4-26 did the bulk of the damage while new-ball partner Hasitha De Silva (3-46) provided good support.

Ali Awan made a battling unbeaten 82 to rescue the visitors from the depths of 61-7 but Himley’s openers soon firmly shut the door on Moseley’s hopes of completing an unlikely turnaround.

They added 106 in just 22 overs with Walker again very much to the fore with an entertaining even-time 67 while skipper Ollie Westbury played the anchor role to perfection and he was still there with an unbeaten 53 when his team completed the job in the 41^st over.

Kenilworth Wardens are also still in the relegation mix after taking seven points from a rain-hit draw at Barnt Green.

Jacques Banton made a fine 102 for the hosts, adding 102 with third-wicket partner Dan Meredith (46) which left Wardens chasing 249 in a shortened 43 overs.

Harry Johnson then had an unbeaten 57 as the game unsurprisingly drifted to a dull draw with the visitors reply showing 173-4.

Smethwick remain 29 points clear at the top of the table after a five-wicket home win over Barnards Green.

After Chris Benjamin made 40, acting captain Bilal Shafayat had an unbeaten 52 when the hosts passed their 185-run target in the 43^rd over.

Mahaaz Ahmed earlier top-scored for Barnards Green with 63 while Zain Latif took 4-52 for Smethwick.

Division Two

With eight games remaining the situation at the foot of Division Two is looking increasingly serious for Bridgnorth following their ten-wicket defeat at promotion-chasing Shrewsbury.

Matt Martin’s team are now 52 points adrift of safety after home openers Peter Clark and George Hargrave raced to their 153-run target in just 17.3 overs.

Clark struck four sixes in an explosive unbeaten 49-ball 82 while Hargrave finished with 71 not out from just 56 balls.

Opener Rahul Kaushal earlier made 72 for Bridgnorth who progressed to 94-1 in the 23^rd over before player-of-the-match Clark ripped through their batting line-up in a remarkable 11.4-over spell that returned 6-28.

The day’s big movers at the foot of the table were Kidderminster who left fellow-strugglers Leamington with 24 points from a potentially crucial five-wicket success.

Zeshan Bashir (4-29) and Ben Jones (3-32) starred with the ball for Kidderminster as their hosts were bowled out for 194 in the 55^th and final over.

Skipper Jon Wigley top-scored for Spa with 44 and he also made the Carpet Men work hard for their win by claiming three wickets. However, half-centuries from Dan Lategan and Joe Harrison ensured Liam Weston’s team kept their noses in front.

Leamington slip to third-bottom as a result with a 14-point cushion from Wellington who occupy the second relegation spot after taking five points from their 69-run defeat at mid-table Dorridge.

Dan Lloyd took 5-81 for the visitors but was unable to prevent the home side posting a useful 217-9 on the back of Daniyal Khan’s fine 75.

Wellington then found Dorridge pro Kalana Perera who claimed 5-35 too hot to handle and with George Sitch also claiming three scalps the visitors were bowled out for 148 in the 42^nd over. Freddie Timmis made 56 and Will Lewin 44 for last season’s Shropshire Premier League winners.

Although eight games remain, Shrewsbury’s trip to Harborne next Saturday may well determine who lifts the Division Two title with both clubs now around 70 points clear of the pack.

After retaining their BDPCL T20 Challenge Cup crown last Sunday, Swapnil Gugale’s brilliant unbeaten 129 enabled Harborne to celebrate in style with an eight-wicket win at third-placed Shifnal.

Chasing 207, the Indian ace who struck 20 fours in his 139-ball knock added 148 with opening partner Jamie Harris who made 57 before Harborne cruised home in the 41^st over.

Jack Edwards earlier top-scored for Shifnal with 71 while slow left-armer Ollie Davidson claimed 4-71 for the visitors.

Old Hill moved into the top half of the table when they emerged with a 54-run home win from a low-scoring contest against Coventry & North Warwickshire.

Coventry’s opening bowlers Sameer Vohra (4-45) and Reuben Majithia (3-53) made batting difficult for a home side that scrapped its way to 139 all out in the 33^rd over.

However, worse was to follow from a batting perspective with the visitors subsiding to 25-5 before being bowled out for 85 by a six-strong home attack in which everyone claimed a wicket.

The mid-table encounter between Worfield and Tamworth went the way of the Staffordshire-based visitors who eased to a comfortable six-wicket success.

Jacob Flower who took 5-25 was the star of the show for Tamworth as Worfield failed to convert Basit Zaman’s fluent 47 into a big score.

Matthew Rees took 3-30 to ensure Tamworth’s quest for 140 was less straightforward than they would have hoped until Ed Smith’s aggressive unbeaten 57 ensured there were no late hiccups.