REDDITCH Entaco pushed runaway Worcester County League leaders Worcester CC every inch of the way before losing out by just one wicket.

Worcester skipper Chris Steele saved his side from seemingly certain defeat with some last gasp resistance after his side recovered from 157 for eight to close on a winning 193 for nine.

Steele struck a match-winning 29 not out and together with Andy Hill saw the league leaders squeeze over the line for a seventh straight win.

Unlucky Entaco must have thought they'd done enough to inflict Worcester CC with their first defeat of the season, spokesman Gary Fisher said: "We really pushed them but Worcester managed to scrape home in the 49th over.

"It didn't help that we had to bat first as overnight rain meant the wicket got better ass the game wore on."

Redditch had reached 192 all out with Rizwan Chaudhrey making top score of 31.

Gary Fisher added: "All our top order batsman got themselves in but none of them went on to get a 50 or more.

"However, we do back ourselves to bowl sides out.

"We have a four pronged pace attack of Greg Chinn, Waqas Ali, Ghulam Moyhuddin and Noman Chaudhry who are all taking wickets at the moment and working well together but we just couldn't get the last pair out."

It was a good day for Chris Steele who had earlier taken four for 46 before rescuing his side with the bat, especially as Worcester had been 0 for two at one stage.

Redditch are likely to stick with the same side when they entertain Stourport this Saturday.