ON an overcast afternoon Ledbury visited Wormelow and picked up their third success in a row when Ledbury won the toss and captain Matty Ehrlich decided to bowl and this proved to be a wise decision.

WORMELOW 2ND XI v LEDBURY 2ND XI

Wormelow were in trouble from the word go as Matt Phillips and Will Duckworth collected the wickets of the openers in the first three overs with the addition of just seven runs.

Matty Philips, bowling well yet again, took a further two wickets in his 12 overs giving away just eight runs off the bat. Wormelow were looking for the rain clouds when Watkins took two wickets and Clive Jones also collecting a wicket in his first spell as the home side had just 44 on the board with seven wickets down.

They did form a fight back with two of their lower order batsmen putting on 75 runs for the eighth wicket. Lee Cluiet returning to the side for only his second game this season picked up the vital wicket of Boulter (33) when he had him caught in the gully. Jones then took one further wicket and took a splendid once handed catch off the bowling of Duckworth to leave Wormelow 120 all out.

Chasing this kind of total, Ledbury were confident of victory but things didn't get off to a great start.

Richard Griffiths opened the batting with Matty Ehrlich and played two great cover drives before being bowled. Ehrlich fell the next ball to leave Ledbury 10-2.

Worse was still to come as Richard Punt continued his yo-yo season with a duck. Even run-machine Rob Greening fell for just eight and Ledbury looked to have lost the grip on the game with only 29 on the board and four wickets down.

However the game took another twist when Justin Davis, playing his first game of the season, was joined at the crease by Matty Phillips. Ledbury needed a big partnership and this is what the two 18 year olds did. With Davis playing the defensive role and Phillips attacking 'kamikaze' style Ledbury were steadily edging closer to the finishing line.

Wormelow looked to have got off the hook once again as the heavens opened leading to the players running for shelter. There seemed little chance the game would finish but again Ledbury had their prayers answered and there was a break in the rain and the game was back on.

Ledbury needed a further 39 runs for victory off 20 overs with six wickets in hand. However due to the rain and the bad light batting conditions were terrible. Ledbury needn't have worried as Davis powered to his third senior 50 (four 4's) and Phillips kept up his batting form with 43 not out (three 4's) to win the game by six wickets and ten overs to spare.

Man of the Match was Matty Phillips after having yet another good game with both bat and ball.

Ledbury are at home tomorrow (Saturday) to top of the table Leominster. Players to meet at the ground at 1.15pm.