DROITWICH eased their Worcestershire County League Division One worries as they cruised to a nine-wicket victory over basement side Oldswinford & Stourbridge Social thanks to an outstanding unbeaten 149 from Max Young.
After being set a mammoth target of 290 to chase down, Young’s inspired innings guided Spa to an impressive victory in the 40th over after seemingly looking dead and buried earlier in the day.
The vital clash began with Oldswinford opener Jason Campbell tearing into the Droitwich attack from ball one and the home side were relieved to see the back of him when he was dismissed for a swashbuckling 54 in only the eighth over.
A controlled spell of leg spin from Jake Young, who returned 1-28 from his ten overs, restricted the visitors before visiting captain Richard Milner began to up the tempo once more.
He seemed destined to be the first centurion of the day before falling to an excellent catch by stand-in wicketkeeper Jordan Renau off veteran Paul Bryan for 80.
After looking set to post well over 300, the Oldswinford innings petered out as Bryan and fellow left-armer Jack Eaton applied the brakes with two wickets apiece in the final ten overs.
On what was an excellent track and lightening quick outfield, Spa needed a good start and this was delivered with aplomb by Young and Ash Fearnall.
Neither buckled under the pressure of chasing such a big score and they racked up the runs at a pace that when the latter was dismissed for a fine 52, they had already amassed 145 from just 18 overs.
Aussie Renau then strode to the wicket and continued his recent form as well as the onslaught on the Oldswinford bowlers. What looked like an invincible total was blown away by some impressive hitting as Young ended the game with an imperious six while Renau finished on 70 not out, his highest league score of the season.
There was a closer finale in the reverse fixture, where Droitwich Seconds were the victors by just one run in Division Two Second XI.
James King and Ash Walton both scored half-centuries in a Spa total of 224, which Oldswinford looked favourites to overhaul as they needed just 40 runs from the final ten overs of their reply with eight wickets in hand.
However it was the visitors who held their nerve as captain Karl Goddard picked up three crucial wickets before Martin Woodward bowled the final over and ensured their opponents failed to get the ten runs required.
The Thirds ran out six-wicket winners at Redditch in Division Five where youngster Adam Keen shone with an excellent spell of 4-19 off 8.3 overs.
The home side’s total of 172 was built around a blistering innings of 86 from Faizan Ahmed but it wasn’t enough to prevent Droitwich romping home with 33 overs to spare as Greg Mazgajczyk struck an unbeaten 63.
Tom Goss continued his good form as the Fourths enjoyed a seven-wicket success at St Peter’s Fields in Division Five Second XI.
He struck 94 not out as Spa comfortably eased past the Redditch total of 134 all out.
Droitwich Firsts will be hoping for another win when they host Burghill tomorrow.
The Seconds travel to Herefordshire for the reverse fixture while the Thirds and Fourths take on Stourbridge.