WORCESTER Nomads B scraped home against Avoncroft but out-of-sorts Hallow capitulated to Droitwich Spa in Worcestershire Cricket Board Indoor League Worcester Division One.

In Division Two, WCB Seniors marked their first game in the competition with a win.

Avoncroft (103-4) lost to Nomads B (104-2) with four balls remaining.

A tentative start from Avoncroft openers Will Sach (22) and Adam Rodway (29 not out) was still a sound launchpad but they failed to build a winning score.

At halfway, 48 runs were on the board with all wickets intact and 120 was within sight.

Dave Apperley (18no) failed to get on top of straight, but unchallenging, balls from the bowlers and was largely unsupported before the retired Rodway returned late on.

Tareq Jamil (1-20) bowled with pace and was the pick of the bowlers.

Nomads began conservatively, losing a wicket to Max Jukes early on and after six overs, were barely ahead of the required rate.

The game was too close to call until the 11th over when 18 runs were plundered by Jamie Oliver (19no) and Oli Ranscombe (18no), leaving four required from the final six balls.

Nomads’ Paul Gardner (28no) and Avoncroft’s Adam Rodway (1-14) starred.

Droitwich (143-3) beat Hallow (39 all out) by 104 runs with 7.4 overs remaining.

Solid and consistent batting by most of the Spa team posted a substantial total.

Max Young and Rhys John made their allotted 25 before being retired and Jake Young added an unbeaten 25.

Phil Thomas (20) also contributed until a run-out allowed the openers to return for a final sprint. John top-scored with 36no and Max Young managed 31no.

Hallow’s reply was brief, losing wickets to early run-outs. Jeremy Hodson and Paul Wyatt made double figures but their fourth-over demise began a collapse of four wickets in as many balls.

In Division Two, Malvern (129-4) lost to WCB Seniors (131-2) with five balls left.

The Seniors’ bowling lacked penetration, so the slow, flighted delivery was preferred and Robin Lloyd claimed a stumping in the first over.

A new-look Malvern side was held together by Sean Whalen-Smith, who scored fluently until retiring.

After six overs, Malvern progressed to 50-3 with James Sarkar run out and Lewis Hill giving Peter Gurr his second stumping, this time off Kevin Trusswell.

Tom Fairclough (32no), Andy Holmes (15) and the returning Whalen-Smith (42no) presented a stiff challenge.

But Gurr (27no), John Lawrence (14) and Lloyd (25no), aided by 41 wides, had little trouble in gaining the win.

Nomads C (119 all out) beat Old Vigornians (59 all out) by 60 runs with four overs left.

The young Nomads openers found the OVs bowling to their liking and raced to 70 in the first five overs for the loss of Josh Hawes (16).

Nick Jones (39no) and Malcolm Jones (23) were mainly responsible for an electric start with the later order adding only 49 before the innings crashed in the 11th over.

After problems with run-outs, OVs’ innings might have ended at 39 but David Mendham (17) stayed around to match Ahsan Fiaz’s 17 and take them past 50.