Smethwick are champs again despite defeat

PREMIER ONE

- By DAVID LAWRENCE

SMETHWICK made it back-to-back Division One titles despite losing their penultimate game at nearest rivals Halesowen - their eight-point haul enough to secure the title.

At the other end of the table, Berkswell romped to victory over fellow strugglers Wolverhampton but it was not enough to save them from the drop. They will be joined by either Wolves or Himley.

Batting first, Smethwick were in all sorts of trouble early on, being reduced to 21 for 3 but Viken Kedariya hit 52 off 38 balls and Gurbaj Singh 56.