Saturday saw the return to the Win/Lose format for the top four divisions in the Worcestershire County League, the format to be played for the final five match weekends of the season. 
In the Premier Division the return of Oliver Uffindall (112) for leaders Stourport-on-Severn 1st XI provided more substance to an already powerful batting line up as his first innings century proved enough to help the home side post a first innings total that visiting Bromyard 1st XI failed to chase. 
With just four matches to go,and with four of the bottom five teams to play, for Stourport it is difficult to see how Old Hill 1st XI who look like the only other team with a realistic chance of catching them (as Stourbridge 1st XI suffered a thirteen run defeat at the hands of Redditch 1st XI at their Bromsgrove Road ground) will do so as the West Worcestershire outfit remain thirty two points ahead needing just two wins from four to guarantee the title and a Birmingham & District Premier League Play Off place.  
However, if Saturday is anything to go by Old Hill not let their challenge go without a fight after their bowling attack led by Aamir Manzoor (4-16) once again showed their class by bowling out Droitwich Spa 1st XI cheaply in the first innings which helped seal a comfortable eight wicket win to ensure they remain in pole position subject to any slip up from the leaders.
Elsewhere, Astwood Bank 1st XI took full advantage of Stourbridge 1st XI loss at Redditch as captain Tom Pedley (122) led from the front in the first innings with a superb century that ensured his team posted far too many for visiting Ombersley 2nd XI to chase who were eventually bowled out well over one hundred runs short of the target, a result that saw the Bank move third and Ombersley remain in the relegation zone two points behind Bromyard in tenth. 
Old Elizabethans 1st XI sparked by a first innings half century from Elliott Wilson (72) produced an excellent all-round team performance in a game that could have gone either way when they eventually broke the back of Brockhampton 1st XI in a second innings run chase that looked on for a long while thanks to healthy contributions from Tobias Van Der Heever (73) and Charlie Williams (63), a result that opened up a crucial twenty eight point gap between themselves and the drop zone and finally Pershore 1st XI, largely thanks to Khalid Baig (7-31) made light work of basement side Colwall 1st XI after bowling them out cheaply in the first innings to seal a comfortable seven wicket victory at Stowe Lane.  
In Division One overseas player Maxwell Meyer (172) posted a first innings ‘daddy’ hundred for Worcester Nomads 1st XI which provided the foundations for a comfortable win against visiting Coombs Wood 1st XI at Whitegates Farm. 
This result together with the news that second placed Chaddesley Corbett 1st XI had lost their third game in four weeks when they were beaten by twenty three runs by Lye 1st XI means that the South Worcestershire outfit moved twenty one points clear at the top and need just sixteen points from their remaining four matches to guarantee Premier Division cricket next season and two wins to secure the Division One title.
In other matches in the division a first innings half century from Ben Whitton (74) helped Barnt Green 2nd XI beat Hagley 1st XI by five wickets to close the gap to second place to forty four points and retain their outside chance of promotion. 
Samuel Preece (4-26) helped Halesowen 2nd XI restrict Oldswinford to a gettable first innings total which they achieved for the loss of five wickets to remain fifth. Whilst at the bottom end of the table Pedmore 1st XI recorded an important seven wicket win against Bewdley 1st XI at Lower Park which moved them fifty points clear of the drop zone and almost certain safety and first innings half centuries from Jabran Khalid (83) and James Owens (60) set up a comfortable home win for Worcester 1st XI against basement side Kidderminster 2nd XI who are now thirty points adrift of safety at the foot of the table and in need of some positive results in their last four matches if they are to avoid the drop. 
Division Two again showed it’s unpredictability as last weeks first time leaders Enville 1st XI were beaten at home by Bartestree & Lugwardine 1st XI for who Ryan Trattell (78) and Tom Strangward (5-34) proved the main contributors. This result gave Bromsgrove 2nd XI the opportunity to go back to the top of the table which they took by when Greg Chinn (126) scored a first innings century in a comprehensive win against Belbroughton 1st XI at Hackmans Gate Lane to go eight points ahead at the summit. 
Himley 2nd XI moved back in to third place just two points behind Enville 1st XI after bowling out Astwood Bank 2nd XI cheaply in the second innings at Stourbridge Road to gain a win that helped them move eleven points clear of fourth placed Alvechurch & Hopwood 1st XI who ere beaten by twenty three runs by Cookley 1st XI.
In other matches, Bredon 1st XI posted nearly three hundred in the first innings at Hill Close which proved enough to beat Burghill, Tillington & Weobley 1st XI by an eight run margin in a match that produced nearly six hundred runs and dented the visitors push for promotion and finally Sean Jenkins (4-49) and Richard Pretty (67*) kept Himbleton 1st XI's hopes of survival alive as their contributions helped beat Harborne 3rd XI by four wickets at Harrow Lane, a result which keeps them alive at the bottom of the table and probably ends the chance of promotion for Harborne 3rd XI.
In Division Three Old Elizabethans 2nd XI batsmen James Mann (118*) and Jude Rees (78*) helped inflict only the third defeat of the season on leaders Netherton 1st XI (for whom Zaheer Suliman (118*) who still retain a forty-nine point lead at the top over second placed Avoncroft 1st XI who beat Feckenham 1st XI by seven wickets thanks to a second innings century from Will Baker (109). 
The race for the second promotion place is far from over however with at least four teams are in with an excellent chance of finishing second. Just five points behind Avoncroft 1st XI sit Redditch Entaco 2nd XI for whom Haleem Basharat (132) continued his fine recent form to score a first innings century in a comprehensive win against Brockhampton 2nd XI. Barnards Green 2nd XI are fourth just three points further back in fourth (eight adrift of second) after Ben Clements (5-19) dismantled Stourbridge 2nd XI in the first innings to all but end their hopes of promotion and Old Elizabethans 2nd XI (who beat leaders Netherton 1st XI) seem to be hitting form at the right time are a further seven points adrift in fifth spot which means just fifteen points separate second from fifth with some intriguing fixtures remaining. 
Elsewhere in the division, Amjed Sharif (86*) fired an unbeaten half century to help Old Hill 2nd XI secure a seven wicket win against relegated Coombs Wood 2nd XI for whom Mia Zahidin (83) contributed well in the first innings and Alexander Basford (118) scored a first innings century and Pete Gardner (4-32) returned excellent second innings figures to ensure Martley 1st XI won an important clash at the foot of the table against Old Vigornians 1st XI at Jewry Field which opened up a twenty two point gap to safety for the visitors who sit in eleventh place and in real danger.
In Division Four Wajid Ali (6-20) helped leaders Netherton 2nd XI beat Romsley & Hunnington 1st XI by five wickets which helped them open up what could prove to be a crucial fourteen point lead over Lye 2nd XI who moved in to second position eight points clear of Claverley 1st XI after beating them by six wickets at Sandford Park. 
Elsewhere, West Malvern 1st XI missed the opportunity to go in to second place and stay fourth nine points behind the promotion places after they suffered an ill-timed defeat when they fell thirteen runs short in a second innings run chase against Bromsgrove 3rd XI at Mahon Court. Five Ways Old Edwardians 1st XI sustained their upwardly mobile curve by beating Chaddesley Corbett 2nd XI after posting three hundred and fifty in the first innings at Longmore however they look too far back to challenge for promotion. Stourport-on-Severn 2nd XI consolidated sixth position when Spencer Colley (108) scored a second innings century in a seven wicket victory at the Alf Tolley Memorial Ground against Rushwick 1st XI for whom Liam Probert (132) compiled a first innings century of his own in defeat and finally Raheel Lone (87) top scored for Eastnor 1st XI in an important win against fellow relegation strugglers Worcester 2nd XI at Norton Barracks which breathed a little light in to their chances of survival with four matches remaining.