REDDITCH Entaco CC battled to a draw against leaders Brockhampton as the away side’s tail order dug in with the bat with a single wicket in hand.
Brockhampton blasted 290-6 from their 50 overs at The Parks as home opener Ian Bullock registered a century.
And Redditch recovered from 21-3 and 88-5 to reach 159-9 at the end of their 50 overs as Muhammad Safyan showed brave resistance with the bat.
The result means Redditch remain bottom of the Worcestershire County League Premier Division table with just one win from 10 matches this campaign.
Redditch won the toss and elected to field as Bullock (112) and Angus McIntyre (17) produced a 68-run first-wicket partnership.
Waqas Ali (2-56) broke up the stand only for Brockhampton captain Samuel Johnston (57) to join Bullock at the crease.
Johnston blasted a half-century from just 52 deliveries in a 100-run partnership with centurion Bullock as Noman Chaudhry (2-72) eventually accounted for the former.
Bullock enjoyed further support from Tom Skerrett (35) who produced an entertaining 23-ball knock before Safyan (1-51) clean bowled the Brockhampton batter.
Chaudhry claimed a second wicket with the scalp of Indiana Jerram (16) as Bullock reached a century before he was bowled by Ali.
Marlon Lokenath (1-47) bowled George Mokler (6) as Ollie Langford (18 not out) and Greg Leighton (11 not out) scored quick runs to boost the home side’s total.
Brockhampton closed on 290-6 which left Redditch with a mammoth task with the bat to come away with a victory.
And Redditch made a slow start with the bat as Theo Barker (2-43) bowled Entaco opener Yassar Altaf (3) early in the run chase.
Redditch’s other opener Haris Ali (11) fell to the bowling of George Bouston (1-43) before Masharraf Shahzad (0) departed for an eight-ball duck soon after as O’Shea Durack (6-27) claimed his first scalp.
Shahzad’s wicket left Entaco on 21-3 as Hassan Akram (22) and Rizwan Chaudhry (43) set about rebuilding the Redditch innings.
However, Durack trapped Akram LBW before Barker returned to remove R Chaudhry seven runs short of a half-century to leave Entaco on 88-5.
Durrack continued to rip through the Redditch attack as he also accounted for Haleem Basharat (13), Lokenath (4), N Chaudhry (1) and Ayaan Chaudhary (36).
The flurry of wickets left Redditch on 144-9 early in the 43rd over with Entaco’s final two batters, Safyan (15 not out) and Ali (2 not out), now at the crease.
Entaco’s tail order bravely dug in with the bat as the pair survived 61 deliveries combined to reach the end of their 50 overs on 159-9.
Redditch Entaco are next in action against Worcester on Saturday, June 27 with play to begin at 12pm (midday) at Bromsgrove Road.
