Just seven points now separate the two leading sides after Walsall won the Black County battle to set up an exciting end to this summer's Birmingham League title race.
Dave Middleton's men would surely have been out of it had they lost to top-flight leaders West Bromwich Dartmouth at Sandwell Park. Instead, despite playing against a Dartmouth team enjoying the significant advantage of having two Warwickshire players, Walsall kept their heads to pull off a five-wicket win.
It was faithful old warhorse Paul Wicker who did the damage, taking three wickets at less than three an over as Dartmouth were limited to 222 for eight.
Namibian all-rounder Gerrie Snyman also took three wickets, but it was Wicker's economy and the fact that he got rid of three of Dartmouth's first six, including main dan-german Moeen Ali, that proved crucial.
Only pro Shivakant Shukla (36) and home skipper Naheem Saijad (35) really got proper starts. But, in reply, Walsall's batsmen were in slightly better touch, especially man of the match Snyman, who did his main work for once with the bat.
Paul Baker matched his score of 49, while Richard Mills was unbeaten at the end on 40 and Nathan Round weighed in with 35. But it was the way Snyman got after Dartmouth's other young Bear Naqaash Tahir that swung the game.
Although he went one short of his half century, Snyman's quickfire innings helped Walsall ease home with more seven overs to spare.
While the title battle has effectively been between the top two almost all summer, there is a real battle raging behind for third. And Moseley now hold the advantage after their high-scoring win at Old Hill.
Over 600 runs were scored in the day at Haden Hill, with three different batsmen reaching three figures. But, although the two of those centurions were on the home team, Ruwait Khan and Attiq Uh-Rehmann, Old Hill still ended up losing.
After Mo Ishtiaq had triggered things with 57, Khan (117 not out) and Rehmann (110 not out) compiled an unbroken double century partnership to run up 301 for two, even declaring an over early thinking they had got enough. But another Edgbaston youngster Nick Warren replied with a match-winning 122 for his home club. And, well supported by Omar Masood (60) and Wasim Khan (52), Moseley astonishingly got home with more than five overs to spare.
The biggest battle in the top flight now looks like being at the bottom of the table - with half the division still very much involved in a relegation scrap thanks to Wellington's recent revival.
Wellington's Shropshire rivals Shrewsbury now look doomed, 44 points adrift of safety, after suffering their 11th defeat in 16 matches at home to Himley, for whom Chris Pearce was the match-winner, following up his six for 40 by hitting 66 with the bat.
But there is now just one point separating the three sides above them, Knowle and Dorridge, Wellington and Coventry, while Old Hill and Kidderminster Victoria are not much better off, suggesting that the safety mark could be well in excess of the usual 180 points this summer.
Coventry, who included 46-year-old Steve Ogrizovic in place of the absent Keith Bell, looked on their way to defeat at home to Barnt Green.
On top of 29 from Richard Hall, the Shephard brothers, Gavin and Simon, were looking good in response to a Coventry effort of 232 for seven, engineered chiefly by Vikram Sodhi (83). But the good Shephards went for 51 and 43 respectively, as home skipper Greg Smith dragged his side back in the game with six for 73. Although the Green levelled the scores with four balls remaining, it was with the last pair at the crease. And Asif Khan bowled Tom Morgan to ensure the season's first tie.
Coventry's unexpected 15-point haul keeps them just one place off the bottom, as their efforts were almost matched by Wellington and K&D, who both enjoyed winning draws.
Wellington pro Tim Hancock finally got among the runs, top scoring with 47, backed by an broken seventh-wicket stand between Micky Davidson (45) and Mark Downes (30) as Wellington ran up an impressive 201 for six on their own far from batsman friendly Orleton Park track. But Kenilworth Wardens were never in serious contention, once they had lost Stephen Byng (48) and Shitansu Kotak (39).
Ted Baylis got five wickets for Kidder, while Mark Mansell hit 73 at Chester Road, but the home side's 157 for eight did not come close to challenging K&D's 212, in which Kevin Bray top scored with 52 and Dan Dalton 36.
