Aston Manor and Stourport will be part of the 2027 Birmingham Premier League – subject to passing the final-stage audit - after finishing in the top two positions of the County League play-offs.

League table: https://bdpcl.play-cricket.com/website/division/142727

Manor’s celebrations began as early as 3pm when Lovish Dhir caught Fordhouses skipper Adam Peat off the bowling of Kuldeep Diwan.

This seventh wicket ensured the Warwickshire Premier League champions banked the third bonus point  which guaranteed a top-two County League play-off finish, regardless of the outcome of their clash with the South Staffordshire Premier League winners.

This meant all eyes turned to the battle for the second qualifying position – with Wellington and Stourport joining Fordhouses as part of the equation.

Starting the day in second position and four points clear Stourport were in pole position.

But as the afternoon progressed and it became increasingly apparent that Fordhouses would claim a maximum 20-point return from their trip to Sandwell Park, the pressure for Stourport to complete their run-chase against Wellington at Smethwick ratcheted up.

Jason Oakes top-scored for Wellington with 51 before a brisk unbeaten 39 from Matt Simmonds saw the Shropshire Premier League champions to 208/6.

However, with nine wickets in hand when 19 overs remained, Wellington could have reasonably targeted a bigger return than the 107 runs they added against a Stourport attack in which Naeem Abbas (3-48) and Shoaib Iqbal (1-23) stood out.

In response, Stourport then recovered from 52/3 to 138/4 through a useful partnership of 86 between Charlie Foley and Sam Beadsworth (51).

But the quick loss of two quick wickets to Oliver Smith put matters back on a knife-edge with 36 required from eight overs and four wickets in hand.

Calm heads were required and in skipper Foley the Worcestershire club had the man for the job. In a superbly-paced knock lasting just over two hours, Foley made an unbeaten 92 and in partnership with Naeem Abbas steered his team to a four-wicket win with eight balls remaining.

Scorecard: https://bdpcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/7758613

At WB Dartmouth, Fordhouses took advantage of a flat surface to build a competitive total through a series of aggressive middle-order contributions.

Matthew Gallear (37) combined with opener Mubeen Rashid (53) to steer them from 33/2 to 92/3 in the 23^rd over but it was during the second half of their innings that bat dominated ball.

A fifth-wicket stand of 104 was the foundation of this acceleration with Keshan Wijerathne’s 57 being a useful supporting role to Saqib Akbar’s blistering 61-ball 85 which contained seven sixes.

After experienced off-spinner Shakeel Janjua tied up the early stages with a frugal spell, Diwan was Manor’s stand-out bowler who as a result finished with 4-49.

Chasing 280, the loss of star man Zia Ul Haq Parwani to a brilliant Dan Lynskey leg-side stumping dented the Warwickshire club’s hopes.

And despite useful contributions from Saad Waseem (33) and Janjua (41) Fordhouses never lost control of a match which they eventually claimed by a 66-run margin.

Scorecard: https://bdpcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/7758609

Aston Manor and Stourport are now eligible to take a place in the 2027 Birmingham & District Premier League providing they pass a facilities, governance and cricket audit.