Report submitted by Worcestershire County League

At last the sun shone and cricket was played. A full list of fixtures were played in the top four 1st XI divisions for the first time this year.

In Division One 1st XI Worcester Nomads produced a fine performance at home to comfortably beat Hagley at Whitegates Farm by seven wickets which, although early in the season must have sent a message to the rest.

In second and third place lie Stourport and Bewdley respectively who must have taken part in the match of the day at Lower Park, Bewdley. Stourport restricted Bewdley to 119 all out in the first innings as Lee Waldron (5) and Ryan Derrick (4) shared nine wickets between them. However, last seasons leading wicket taker Jack Mills answered the call for the home team as his fifth wicket of the innings taken when the scores were level ensured the match was tied which must have felt a long way away at the interval.

Feckenham climbed the table to forth after a comfortable win at Chaddesley Corbett. Tom Coulson was the star of the show as his impressive 8-39 burst the newcomers' bubble. Colwall moved into sixth spot after Michael Gooch took 6-11 to shoot out Pedmore for a paltry 39 at Stowe Lane. Burghill come next after posting the divisions highest total of the day at Cookley (257-5), a score which proved too many for bottom side Cookley to chase.

In the other match in the division Evesham grabbed their first victory of the season on the road at Worcester which will no doubt inject some belief in to the South Worcestershire outfit.

In Division Two 1st XI, Carl Whytes 87 helped Coombs Wood chase down Old Vigornians challenging first innings 229 at the Kings School, Worcester and go top of the table The visitors eventually reached the total for the loss of eight wickets to continue their impressive start to the season.

Belbroughton stay in second spot despite losing away at Bredon, a win that helped the home team climb into third place. Enville powered into fourth thanks to a fantastic run chase in a high scoring match at Plovers Rise, Kempsey. Chris Jones’ undefeated 87 helped the home team post an impressive 264-8 in the first innings, a total they must have been happy with. However, a fantastic undefeated 126 by Jon Howells ably supported by Matthew Branch (60) ensured the visitors eased home for the loss of just one wicket – an excellent run chase.

In other matches Bromyard beat Herefordshire rivals Bartestree away to move into fifth spot and send the home team plummeting to the bottom of the table, Tom Blunts 5-30 helped Oldswinford grab their first win of the new season as they beat Droitwich by 52 runs at Albemarle Road and climb into sixth and finally Luke Sparrows first innings return of 5-36 helped Wormelow secure a comfortable eight wicket victory and ensure the road home was a long one for newcomers Himbleton.

Top of the tree in Division Three 1st XI are Rushwick who came away with a maximum points win against local rivals Malvern at the Ramblers Ground. After posting an imposing first innings 233-7 the visitors then dismissed the home side for 193 to depart with a forty run victory.

Alvechurch & Hopwood remain in second despite only gaining a losing draw at home to Lye in a match that saw over 650 runs scored on what must have been a belter of a pitch for this time of the season. Three centuries were scored in the match Waqas Ahmed 156 and Ratnesh Sahni 123 posted three figures for Lye as they amassed a huge 368-7 in the first innings and Edd Rodgers scored an undefeated 117 for the home side as they finished on 290-5 in reply.

Martley wouldn’t have enjoyed their first outing of the season after two abandonments as they were skittled for 89 at Jewry Field by visitors Bromsgrove who remain in third spot. Eastnor enjoyed their first win of the season as they crept in to fourth place following a tight win away at the Glebe home of Hanley Castle & Upton. Set 114 for victory the home team will surely feel that this is one that got away as they were dismissed just four runs short of what they surely would have thought was a total within their grasp. Harborne remain in fifth despite losing to Five Ways OEs who now find themselves in mid table after their first outing of the season and in the other game Hassan Shah smashed six maximums in one over to join an illustrious list including Sir Garfield Sobers, Yuvraj Singh and all as Netherton enjoyed a maximum point winning draw against Avoncroft.

Halesowen find themselves nineteen points clear at the top of Division Four 1st XI following a comfortable win over local rivals Stourbridge. The evergreen Richard Cox scored an undefeated 56 for Halesowen on his welcome return after a debilitating a car crash during the winter to help the visitors post 227-4 in their first innings, a score that proved too many as Stourbridge fell well short in response.

Alveley are in second spot after they defeated Himley in their first outing of the season following two abandoned matches. Hallow Taverners, another side who enjoyed their first sortie of the season moved up to third as Dave Pugh scored a fine 87 to ensure victory at Chester Road against Kidderminster.

Elsewhere, Romsley & Hunnington beat Claverley to move in to fourth thanks to 5-19 from Adnan Wahid and an undefeated 52 from Iqbal Kasana. Astwood Bank beat Tenbury Wells to advance into sixth and Peter Gurr took 5-33 for West Malvern as they beat bottom of the table Stourport by two wickets.