DROITWICH produced their best batting display of the Worcestershire League Division One season but had to settle for a winning draw after rain washed out their chance of victory at Hagley on Saturday.
Having been inserted on a slow track, Spa reaped the benefits of an excellent opening partnership of 82 with skipper Martyn Davies (43) and Alex Kolb (34) demonstrating attacking intent.
After their departures followed a period of quiet consolidation for the visitors, with Max Young, Paul Bryan and Kris Corbett all getting established but failing to capitalise.
At 160-6 with ten overs left, Adam Crowle and Phil Thomas changed the face of the game with a mixture of daring running between the wickets and lusty blows to take Droitwich to 244-7.
Thomas was caught in the penultimate over for 45, whilst Crowle was not out 38 including two towering sixes in the last over.
The same two players took the new ball for Droitwich, with Thomas being rewarded for an excellent length and line by picking up two early wickets.
The tall and pacy Crowle was desperately unlucky not to match his opening partner as the batsmen frequently played and missed.
After Corbett held a tricky catch to give skipper Davies his first wicket, Hagley were on 80-3 before rain curtailed the match after 25 overs and forced an abandonment after an hour’s wait.
Spa took 13 points, leaving them ninth ahead of Saturday’s visit of lowly Harvington.
The frustration continued for Droitwich on Sunday as both Spa sides were comfortably beaten by Redditch.
Australian Corbett notched a half-century for the firsts, who fell to a 99-run defeat, whilst the seconds lost by eight wickets. James Thomas threatened to post a top score but fell recklessly as Spa could only total 145-9, boosted by a late rally from Jordan Lewis and Leon Payne.
In reply only Ash Walton and Dan McArdle claimed wickets as Redditch won with plenty of overs to spare.
