A FINE bowling performance by Old Vigornians produced maximum points and kept the pressure on Dominies and Burghill and Tillington at the top of Worcestershire League Division Four South.

An outstanding throw from the deep by Steve Poole sealed the game and provided a nail-biting victory by 14 runs.

Having won the toss, OVs found runs hard to come by and were struggling at 47-4.

Skipper Tom Weston (21) provided resistance in his 21 but then James Bader and Duncan Hughes had to be careful on a slow pitch.

They started the resistance by putting on a useful 49 before Hughes sparked a mini-collapse when he chipped a catch to square-leg for 22.

When Bader soon followed for 27, OVs looked as though they might struggle to reach a bonus point at 99-7.

However, Will Smith (37) batted sensibly, initially with Steve Protherough when they put on a useful 31 runs, and then with Adam Phillips.

With a total of 165, OVs knew they needed to bowl intelligently with Smith and Phillips producing an excellent opening spell.

Ian Holford, Protherough and Sam Cullen removed three key batsmen before Smith added two crucial wickets.

Canon Frome edged closer to the target and required 15 runs off the final 14 balls. But Poole’s quick throw ensured Weston whipped the bails off for the vital run-out.

A weakened OVs seconds were comfortably beaten by Canon Frome at New Road.

The visitors managed a respectable 176-7 with Ian Robinson taking 3-23, Dougie Arnot 2-54 and Ian Bell 2-43.

OVs looked like they might hang on for a draw but eventually lost by 60 runs with Alex Spring (26) top-scoring.

In a friendly, OVs lost to Suffolk touring side Nacton after scoring 193-7 with James Gommersall (58) and Phil Mackie (44) starring. Eddie George, back from Australia, added 43 not out.

In a frantic final over which required four runs for the victory, Nacton eventually limped home.