Lichfield face off with Stourbridge in big decider

The home side sit top of the County League play-offs heading into the final match of the season but visitors Stour are just five points behind in third. Victory for either will be enough to clinch promotion though both could go up with a draw, depending on how second-placed Worfield fare at Stratford.

Both Lichfield and Stour beat Stratford on the opening weekend of matches and claimed losing draws against Worfield.

Lichfield were made to dig deep for the six points they earned against the Shropshire champions on Saturday.

After putting the visitors in, Basit Zaman smashed 131 from just 127 balls to help his team reach 315-5 from their 50 overs.

The hosts, by contrast, found the going far tougher as they finished 154-7.

Sunday at Lichfield was similarly tricky, Josh Colwell claiming five wickets as Lichfield were dismissed for just 140, Brinder Phagura top-scoring with 37.

But the Warwickshire academy product then produced a match-winning performance with the ball, ripping through the Stratford top order on route to figures of 7-20 as the hosts were bowled out for 106 to lose by 34 runs.

Just 24 hours earlier, Stourbridge had taken advantage of similarly flimsy batting from the Warwickshire side.

Dan Such and Jitesh Patel took four wickets each as Stratford were dismissed for 116, though the chase proved tricky as from 52-1, Stour slumped to 97-8 before Jon McAll (20 not out) and Patel saw them over the line.

Victory at Worfield on Sunday would then have effectively seen them promoted with a game to spare but it never looked likely after the hosts made 272-6. In reply, Stour reached 197-8 to claim seven points.