PERSHORE will head into their final game of the Worcestershire League Premier Division season looking to secure a top four position.
Despite being reduced to 14-4 after being put into bat at Old Hill on Saturday, the Plums rallied to take a winning draw after the hosts’ last-wicket pair held out.
The result leaves Pershore fifth in the table – 20 points behind Redditch – and the sides meet at Redditch’s Bromsgrove Road HQ on Saturday.
Old Hill opening bowlers Naqaash Tahir (4-47) and Zahid Kafiat (3-31) quickly got stuck into the Pershore top order as Oliver Oxley, Arshad Mahmood, Chris Ridings and Stephen Miles fell cheaply.
Liam Ridings (15) and Anees Tariq (23) began the fightback but when they departed Pershore were still only 63-6.
The lower order, however, managed to eke out the runs with Chris Miles top-scoring with 35 off 49 balls. Andrew Hill (22) and Lee Wilkes (21no), batting at nine and ten, stood by him until Miles’ exit left the score 144-9 and they finished on 159-9 off 43 wickets.
In reply, Old Hill would have fancied their chances but their innings mirrored their rivals as Stephen Miles blitzed their batting.
Old Hill slipped to 47-6 and then 99-9 as Miles claimed a superb 6-19 of 12 overs.
However, last pair Tahir, who stuck around for 80 balls for 26 not out, and Navdeep Poonia (13no) survived all the Pershore attempts to dismiss them.
Pershore 2nds suffered a ten-wicket defeat in their Division Three contest at home to their Redditch counterparts.
Pershore, having been put into a bat, were all out for 92, with only skipper Trevor Ridings (34no) getting into double figures. Steven Du Cros was the pick of the bowlers with 4-24.
Dan Protherhough smacked ten fours to steer the Kingfishers home with little fuss. Pershore 2nds entertain Avoncroft at the Bottoms on Saturday.
The 3rds’ batting also crumbled as they were skittled for 79 inside 28 overs in a seven-wicket defeat against visitors Harborne 5ths in Division Ten. Dominic Capaldi top-scored for Pershore with 25.