STOURBRIDGE are set for a promotion crunch clash.

The Amblecote outfit will welcome second-placed Penkridge to the War Memorial Ground this Saturday knowing victory would see them leap-frog their visitors.

Stourbridge moved to within three points of Penkridge in Division Two of the Birmingham and District League after last Saturday's six-wicket success over Water Orton.

Water Orton became Stour's fourth consecutive victim after skipper Richard Bradley won the toss a bowled first.

The upbeat Stour side had the opposition in trouble from the opening over when Ikram Mussadaq had skipper Mathew Dawes caught for a duck.

The second over also produced a wicket for Jitesh Jivan-Patel when he had Chris Murphy caught for just one.

The home side then collapsed to 79 for 7 as they failed to cope with the pressure from the combinations of pace and spin that visitors Stour threw at them.

Number three Mathew Ringin played the anchor role scoring 50. He was eventually out to Audy Alexander when well caught inches from the long-off boundary in the 31st over.

Number four Gary Crouch was caught behind also off Patel for nine, Edward Harris and James Lloyd were both caught behind off Bilal Hassan for ducks and Stephen Murphy fell driving to spinner Mikesh Jivan-Patel for nine.

Richard Morgan was next to go when run out for two with the team score on 82. Lesroy Irish, dawdling outside his crease, was stumped standing back by Greg Jones for the fourth duck of the innings.

Water Orton crumbled to 83 for 9 in the 34th over. A last line of resistance came from Sukhjit Singh, batting at eight, and number 11 Stephen Bevan.

They put on 67 in 14 overs before Singh was run out for 58 and Bevan remained not out on 11 with 3 overs of the match remaining.

Stour’s keeper Greg Jones was the unsung hero as he played a key role in taking three catches and a cunning stumping to keep his side well in the game.

Stour pair Alex Bingham and Steve Game not only survived the opening attack of Lesroy Irish and Ringin but were fortunate to have been dropped early in the innings.

Game in particular was more cautious of the two, not scoring his first run until he had faced 32 balls.

The focussed Bingham worked hard for his 29 but was stumped off Morgan in the 18th over.

Audy Alexander walked to the wicket with the score on 42 and went on to put on 35 with Game. The latter was caught on 24 off Bevan when playing an audacious reverse sweep. Alexander and Richard Bradley then put on 35 when Alexander was bowled by Singh in the 28th over.

Bradley did not last long and fell lbw for nine to Irish.

Stour, no longer coasting, were four down for 113 in the 31st over. Unfortunately for the struggling home side, Josh Banks and Matt Bradley braved the pressure well and finished the job for their side in the 36th over.

Banks remained not out on 24 and Bradley on 17 not out, which included a six and a boundary to bring Stour home in style.