BROCKHAMPTON clinched the Crusader Worcestershire County League Division 2 title with a comprehensive seven-wicket away win over relegation-threatened Hereford City at the Racecourse on Monday.

Struggling Hereford chose to bat first after winning the toss and crawled to an astonishing 94-8 from 50 overs

Hereford's batsmen were restricted to a pedestrian scoring rate by the two-pronged Brockhampton attack of Roy Wargen and Mahmood Malik, who bowled in tandem throughout the innings.

Veteran Wargen, returning after injury, bagged 4-30 and paceman Malik took 3-52 as Hereford's innings failed to gain any sort of momentum.

David Price, batting at number 10, lifted the tempo with an unbeaten 24, David Scott made a dogged 19, and Ashley Brown struck an unbeaten 15 - but it was not enough.

Although the returning Runnel Agard claimed 2-29, the villagers coasted home in 22 overs, with opener James Mason hitting an unbeaten 42.

Brockhampton had moved to the brink of the title after a devastating burst from Malik helped set up a five-wicket home win over Malvern.

Malik ripped through the Malvern batting order, taking 8-41, as the visitors were shot out for 115 in 28 overs. In-form Mason struck an unbeaten 47 for Brockhampton and the villagers coasted to the target in 18 overs.

Hereford had raised their hopes of avoiding the drop after securing a hard-fought 43-run away win over fellow strugglers Cookley.

Ben Mason (42), Ashley Brown (36 not out) and Agard (30) lifted Hereford to a challenging 173 all out in 47 overs. In reply, Cookley lost wickets regularly and were eventually dismissed for 130 in the 46th over by the combination of Richard Flynn (3-44), Mason (2-10), Agard (2-24) and Phil Knight (2-26).