There was significant movement towards the top of the Premier Division Two table after leaders Wolverhampton defeated second in the table Harborne by the narrow margin of two runs. While Wolverhampton strengthened their position at the top, Harborne’s promotion hopes are, now, out of their hands, as Barnards Green and Lichfield nipped ahead of them. Barnards Green trail Wolverhampton by 44 points with Lichfield a further nine points behind, five points ahead of Harborne who will be, desperately, hoping for a Wolverhampton victory when the top two meet on the penultimate weekend of the season. If Barnards Green do lose to Wolverhampton, Lichfield could pip them and Harborne for the second promotion place if they win all of their last four matches. Wolverhampton won the toss and elected to bat against old rivals Harborne and closed on 216 for seven from 50 overs, the main feature of the innings being a second wicket stand of 110 between Tom Fell (62) and Ramanjot Jaswal (56) but after their dismissal, only Joe Stanley (37 not out) and Jack Stanley (23) kept the scoreboard ticking. Swapnil Gugale took 4 for 31 for Harborne but his early dismissal at the start of their reply, to Aqab Ahmed (4 for 33) was a massive blow. Opening partner Jamie Harris (78) fought hard as wickets tumbled around him but at 60 for five, Wolverhampton were firm favourites. However, Harris found an ally in Oliver Davidson (50) and they took the total to 161 before they were parted. With three required to win from the last ball, Matt James (13) was trapped leg before wicket by Ahmed and Wolverhampton were winners by almost the narrowest of margins. Barnards Green, meanwhile, were making light work of Walsall, who crumbled to a nine wicket defeat after being dismissed for 113. George Rhodes took 3 for 13 for the home side before an unbeaten 51 from Rehaan Edavalath rushed them to an easy victory which leaves them in charge of their own destiny. Promotion will be guaranteed if they win all their last four games including the tasty clash with Wolverhampton. Any thoughts of Lichfield fading away quietly were dismissed by their one wicket success against Himley who they bowled out for 161 in 42.2 overs. James Wilkinson took 5 for 34 to take his total of wickets for the season to 49, including the dismissal of Graeme White for 47. Saul Anstey hit 46 then took 3 for 21 as Lichfield slumped to 94 for six before they were revived by a seventh wicket stand of 55 between Brinder Phagura (41 not out) and Callum Heanan (26). Two wickets then fell at 149 and a third at 151 with 11, still, required for victory before Phagura and his bowling buddy Wilkinson saw them to a one wicket success.

Walsall’s heavy defeat left the door open for Worfield to lift themselves out of the relegation zone, but West Bromwich Dartmouth did their old rivals a favour by defeating the Shropshire club by three wickets. Ross Aucott (67 not out), Laurence Pickin (43) and Will Rhodes (42) scored the bulk of Worfield’s 245 for eight with Yusuf Khalil taking 4 for 70 for Dartmouth. All of Dartmouth’s top six made a solid contribution without going on to record a half-century and it was Walsall old boy Tim Maxfield (49) who offered his old club yet another lifeline by taking his new side to within five wickets of victory. His dismissal was followed by another quick wicket, but Dartmouth ran out comfortable winners with more than three overs to spare. Unless one of Walsall or Worfield pick up a win in the next two weeks, the second relegation place will, probably, be decided when Worfield play Walsall in the penultimate game of the season. Wem maintained their very slim hopes of survival with an 80 run success at Bromsgrove whose form in the second half of the season has been shocking. A fourth wicket partnership of 115 between Chris Peel (81 not out) and Graham Wagg (69) saw Wem to a morale-boosting 243 for five before they dismissed Bromsgrove for 163. Alex Milton (47) and Connor Smith (46) threatened to take the game away from Wem but fine bowling from James Astley (4 for 25) and Wagg (3 for 36) reigned them in, as Bromsgrove fell from 84 for three to 163 all out. In an exciting game at Dorridge, the home side defeated Bridgnorth by 4 runs after the Shropshire side were dismissed for 271 with two balls remaining, in pursuit of the home total of 275 all out in 48.1 overs. Ben Shepperson (112) and Ashish Chakrapani (82) were the top batters for Dorridge with David Exall (5 for 48) and Sam Baugh (3 for 48) the most successful bowlers for the visitors. In reply, Ben Lees (61), Exall (41) and Michael Hill (40) played valuable innings but none of them were able to match Shepperson or Chakrapani. Qasim Sohail (3 for 47) was the pick of the bowling attack for Dorridge.