STRATFORD’S last-wicket pair held out to claim a losing draw when they met Brockhampton at The Parks in Division 1 of the Birmingham League.

They finished on 210-9, well short of Brockhampton’s score of 254-8.

While the Herefordshire side lost a little ground in the promotion stakes, there was consolation in the news that leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth had suffered their second consecutive defeat and have now been dragged back into the promotion-chasing pack.

The reliable Chris Boroughs top-scored on 66 to hold the Brockhampton innings together.

After four of the top-order batsmen had got into double figures and then perished, Tom Austwick (30), Gareth Steptoe (37) and Jonny Walker (32) all made significant contributions to ensure the home side set a decent total.

Richard Parker joined forces with Boroughs to shift the Warwickshire side’s top order, but the pendulum swung back the other way while Matthew Corby (52), Junead Zaman (31) and Wayne Killian were at the wicket.

Adam Hewlett (2-45) dismissed Killian (74) and Stratford's chances of winning went with him.

Boroughs and Parker shared six wickets.

Eastnor maintained their comfortable lead in Division 3 after claiming a winning draw in a keenly contested match with Oswestry at Clenchers Mill Lane.

Both sides built a solid platform to their innings and were on level terms after 45 overs.

Eastnor crucially rattled up 82 runs from their final 10 overs to post 236-9. They then restricted Oswestry to 38 during the same phase of their innings to come out on top with the Shropshire side closing on 197-7 Arshad (86) held the Eastnor innings together, forming solid parnerships with Jabran (16) and Faisal (26) to leave Eastnor on 154-5 going into the final 10 overs.

Shahid (41) joined him in a run-spree during this spell.

Left-arm spinner Mark Robinson (6-51) was the pick of the Shropshire side’s attack.

Pasha (77 not out), who needed a runner after getting injured in the field, carried his bat throughout the Oswestry innings but, after an initial flourish from opener Joe Carrasco (20) and a solid innings from Nick Williams (37), the only threat came from Robinson (26).

Atiq (3-74), Jabran (2-42) and Shahid (1-20 off 14 overs) held the upper hand in the closing overs.