Bridgnorth top of a congested Division Two
Bridgnorth are top of Birmingham League Division Two after a 17-point winning draw against Halesowen – and it could have been even better.
It's a logjam at the top of the table, with just three points covering four sides.
And the Cricket Meadow outfit were only denied victory on Saturday by the defiant Halesowen last-wicket pair.
Simon Gregory's 53 proved the backbone of the home side's knock, after Halesowen won the toss and put them in.
With 35 from Thomas Weston, Bridgnorth totalled 179-8 from their 38 overs, Eddie Rhodes taking 3-32. Batting proved even harder for Halesowen when they made their reply.
Dale Quiney (4-35) and David Exall (3-11 off seven overs) tore through the visitors' batting to leave Bridgnorth on the brink of victory.
A win would have opened relatively clear water for Bridgnorth at the top of the table.
However, Daniel Jeavons' obdurate unbeaten five off 30 deliveries kept them out, with No 11 Eddie Rhodes surviving the seven balls he faced.
But Bridgnorth will look to consolidate next week at home to Old Elizabethans.
Worfield took a big stride in their bid to retain Birmingham League status with victory over Shropshire rivals Whitchurch.
Their 55-run home win leaves the two clubs tied on 88 points with two sides beneath them in Division Three.
Four go down, but the gap to the first outfit above the line, Streetly, is now just 10 points.
The home side, put in, made a decent start as Will Cook (14) and Patrick Butler put on 33 for the first wicket.
Butler passed his half-century, with nine boundaries, and seemed set for more until run out for 59 by Andy Jones. Worfield looked in danger of subsiding at 180-8.
But wagging of the tail from George Nock (11 not out, including a four and a six) and Joseph Arnold (19 not out) saw them post a competitive 211-8, with Jack Furnival's 3-47 the pick for Whitchurch.
The visitors, set 208 from a rain-reduced 47 overs for a winning draw, began soundly in reply.
Opener Ed Watson-Jones made 34 and Ijaz Yousaf 27, both at a decent tempo, but nobody could stay long enough to see them over the line.
Butler took 4-52 and with back-up from Gagandeep Singh (3-18) and Arnold (3-37), Worfield bowled out their rivals for 156.
Up in the Premier, Shrewsbury remain in touch with the title chase with five points from their match at Barnt Green, abandoned without play.
Oswestry's Division One game at Bromsgrove ultimately met the same fate, although there was play with each side taking six points.
The home team rattled along at five an over before the weather intervened.
They reached 151-3, with Alexei Kervezee making 69 and opener Ashley Newfield unbeaten on 61, despite Warrick Fynn's 2-26.
Wellington's Trevor Garwe gave a good all-round display in the same division, but it wasn't enough to prevent Attock taking a rain-affected winning draw.
Opener Garwe made 34, took a brace of wickets and ran out Attock danger man Arsalaan Mahmood for a fine 72.
Wellington's 217-8 owed much to an undefeated 68 from No.5 Wendell Wagner as Sarmad Anwar claimed 4-65.
But Mahmood's knock proved decisive as the visitors progressed to 183-8.
It was the same story for Shifnal at Tamworth despite excellent innings from opener James Shaw (89) and No 5 Chris Murrall (87 not out) in their 245-6.
Tamworth blazed away to claim a winning draw, reaching 149-5 off just 22 overs with Dean van Deventer's 36-ball 50 the pick. Jack Edwards took two wickets.
