Division One

Resurgent Smethwick closed to within two points of the top of the table following a nail-biting one-wicket victory at leaders Knowle & Dorridge.

Put into bat, the hosts made steady progress thanks to opener George Maddy (45) and Ethan Berlusconi (50) but a mid-innings wobble saw them lose four wickets for just 15 runs. Isaac Maddy (pictured) then steadied the ship on his way to an unbeaten 43 off 41 balls and at the end of their 50 overs K&D reached 253/9. The wickets were spread around the Smethwick bowlers with Yasir Ali taking 2-31, Gurbaj Singh 2-36 and Deepak Khatri 2-37.

In reply, the visitors were soon in trouble losing their first four wickets for just 27. But they were given hope by big-hitting Indian ace Khatri who smashed eights sixes on his way to an 85-ball 106.

Another flurry of wickets then left Smethwick's last three batters needing 62 from 11 overs. However, in pace bowlers Manraj Johal (34) and Ali (30no) the defending champions found an unlikely pair of batting heroes who with some last-gasp assistance from Sagar Udeshi dragged Smethwick over the line with nine balls to spare.

The pick of the bowlers was Currill with 3-45 while Tom Davis bagged 2-41 and Neil Pinner 2-51. Although they finished on the losing side, K&D’s bonus points mean they still lead the way with three games to go.

Halesowen look to have slipped from the reckoning following their 43-run defeat at the hands of Barnards Green. Skipper Ryan Tongue hit 84 from 60 balls including seven 6s to help the Worcestershire side reach 213/9, George Rhodes adding a useful 45 off 43 balls. Ed Bragg claimed 3-28 including that of opener PG Harris with his first ball while Charlie Egerton took 3-52. Halesowen also lost an early wicket but 40 from Arun Kalsi and 60 from Fin Goodman gave them a boost. That was until Oliver Halion struck on his way to 4-40 as the hosts were left on 170-9 and a 43-run defeat.

Half-centuries from Daniyal Khan (68) and Adnaan Riaz (54) helped Dorridge to 249/9 and a 59-run victory over Barnt Green, Jack Warner (3-32) the pick of the bowlers. The visitors were all out for 190 and it could have been worse had it not been for a vital Archie Greaves-Hall knock of 67. Shayan Alam finished with 3-27. That win confirmed relegation for basement pair Kenilworth Wardens and Moseley after they lost their games.

Wardens lost by 15 runs at Himley, reaching 201/9 in response to the home side’s 216/5. An unbeaten 104 off 102 runs from Ollie Walker was key to the win, skipper Oliver Westbury chipping in with a handy 49. In reply, Ben Blakemore hit 76 off 69 deliveries but star turn Walker bagged 3-32 and Dinuk De Silva 3-45 to wrap up Himley’s win.

Bottom club Moseley lost by six wickets at home to Shrewsbury even though opener Ali Awan scored 93. Unfortunately, Salmaan Ajam (49) was the only other batsman to reach double figures as Zimbabwean quickie Dustin Melton ripped through the line-up on his way to 5-19. The visitors needed just 28 overs to hit their target with George Hargrave unbeaten on 66 and Rhodri Evans scoring 50 off 48 balls.

Ombersley were convincing 109-run winners at home to Harborne. Half-centuries from Seth Essenhigh (91), Joel Cox (61) and Sinel Gunarathne (54) helped the hosts to 351/7 - a total that always looked out of reach for the Birmingham side even though keeper Kai Smith hit 68 off 58 balls.

Division Two

Attock have been crowned Division Two champions following their three-wicket win over Old Hill and Berkswell’s defeat at the hands of Milford Hall. Attock skipper Qasim Tanvir put the visitors into bat and they made 251/9 with Bilal Hassan (69) and Omar Masood (55) the leading lights with the bat. Opener Aarib Khan then hit 77 and Rizwan Hussain 62 not out to guide the league leaders to 253/7, to victory and to the title. Saad Naseem did his best to keep them in check with 5-33.

Berkswell are still second but cannot catch their rivals following their hefty 161-run loss at home to Milford Hall. Having been put into bat, openers Theo Wylie (108) and Jordan Bulpitt (78) put on 171 for the first Milford wicket. With Hamid Saleem taking 6-49, others found runs hard to come by but they still posted 306/9. There was a nightmare start to Berkswell’s innings, losing openers Ethan Wragg and Will Tarrant without a run on the board. Will Iles hit 50 but there was no way back for the Warwickshire side.

Shifnal were also big winners at home to basement club Worfield, taking the honoours by six wickets. The visitors posted 250 which included 100 from captain Ross Aucott and a rapid 63 off 50 balls from Will Cook. Jack Twigger was the pick of the bowlers with 3-29. It took Shifnal 43 overs to reach 252/4 and had opener Joe Johnson in fine form, scoring 133 off 103 balls including seven 6s and 15 4s. There was also an unbeaten half-century from Rahul Kaushal.

An unbeaten 96 from captain Jonathan Wigley was not enough to save his Leamington side from a three-wicket defeat at Wolverhampton. The visitors made 218/5 only for their hosts to reach 219/7 with nearly ten overs in hand. Rishin Upamal (87) and Will Nield (64) led the way while Tom Warner finished with 3-52.

James Rudge hit 111 not out and Tom Smith 50 to help Tamworth to 260/6 and victory at home to West Bromwich Dartmouth. Liam Brazier then took three wickets to leave the visitors on 222/8, Ateeq Javid top scoring with 67.

The day’s other game saw Stourbridge beat Kidderminster by 52 runs at Chester Road. Jaspreet Singh was the top scorer for the Black Country side with 59 off just 44 deliveries, helping his team to 244 all out. Nathan Jukes finished with 3-29 and Ali Latif 3-55. Kidderminster were dismissed for 192 thanks to the bowling of James Turton (3-35) and Dominic O’Reilly (3-26) with Jukes capping a decent afternoon with his top score of 43.