DESPITE dominating their home clash with Bedworth, Worcester had to settle for a winning draw.

Batting first in good conditions, Worcester made an encouraging start through Daryl Mitchell and Tatendu Taibu and they added 64 before Taibu was LBW for 20.

Mitchell then added 75 with skipper Andy Mason before he was cruelly run out for a stylish 79 including 10 fours.

Mason went on to compile a solid 62 and with Chris Smedley making 38 Worcester reached 257 all out in the final over. Leg spinner Bishan Joshi was the visitors' best bowler with 5-97.

Bedworth lost a wicket in the fourth over and Vince Patel (22) and Brij Dutta (48) restored the situation with a 69-run partnership but when they were both dismissed the game tilted towards Worcester, but stern resistance by the lower order enabled Bedworth to earn a draw on 203-7, despite leg spinner James Wagstaff bowling an excellent spell to take 4-69 off 20 overs.

Worcester gained 13 points to Bedworth's nine.

The seconds visited Redditch and after securing three victories in a row suffered a heavy seven-wicket defeat.

Worcester batted first and on a bowler-friendly wicket were shot out for a paltry 84. Destroyer-in-chief for the home side was James Piper who claimed 8-42 in an excellent spell of pace bowling.

Indisciplined bowling from Worcester enabled Redditch to cruise to victory as they raced to 86-3 in the 29th over, including 28 extras. Top scorer for Redditch was Geoff Eley (19no), and Worcester's Julian Rickman bowled well in a lost cause to claim 3-23. Worcester earned one point to Redditch's 20.