ASTWOOD Bank were denied the chance of topping Birmingham and District Cricket League Division Three after their match with Pershore was abandoned.

Third-placed Bank were heading for victory after Dan Taylor (4-15) and Michael Desmond (3-8) skittled their Worcestershire rivals for 93.

But the match was abandoned by rain with the hosts on 45-2 in 16.4 overs in reply, leaving Pershore in fourth position.

The result leaves the top four sides separated by just eight points.

The highest-scoring match of the day was at Heath Road, where Eastnor hit 263-9 in reply to Whitchurch’s fine effort of 275-5 but both sides remained in the bottom four.

Ijaz Yousaf (80 not out), Kristen Ali (62) and Ed Watson-Jones (58) were the main scorers for Whitchurch.

Tariq Jamil smashed 121 from 111 balls for Eastnor with help from Arshad Hussain (57).