MIKE King delivered a superb all-round performance to lift Colwall clear of the relegation dogfight in Worcestershire League Division One as they eclipsed bottom side Droitwich by a massive 169-run margin.

King, who had starred with the bat in a vital victory at rivals Eastnor a fortnight before, was promoted to open as Colwall elected to take first strike at Stowe Lane and went on to hit a disciplined 75 as they rattled up a daunting total of 260-8 off their 50 overs.

Not satisfied with that, King then went on to take 4-24 with the ball as Droitwich were sent packing for just 91 in reply and with Eastnor and Pedmore both losing, Colwall moved 33 points clear of the bottom two with just three games remaining.

After fellow-opener Joe Blight had been caught behind early on, King shared a crucial third-wicket stand of 105 with teenager Fergus Cameron who made 50 before he was dismissed.

Henry Coleman then hit two big sixes off successive deliveries before he was caught, but King and skipper Ben Wheeler upped the tempo before King was dismissed with the total on 180.

Wheeler went on to complete his half-century before departing, but Ancil Nedd (24) and Jono Gooch (12) kept up the momentum as Colwall closed on 260-8.

In reply, Droitwich stumbled to 20-4, with Mike Gooch taking 3-15 in a tight seven-over spell and Jono Gooch 1-11 from four overs.

King then whittled his way through the Droitwich middle order and once Young was out for 40, the tail disintegrated, with Nedd claiming the last two wickets with his first two deliveries.

Colwall will be looking to open up a bigger gap when they travel to Feckenham on Saturday (noon).

The club’s seconds are virtually safe from relegation in Second XI Division One, but missed a chance to make certain of it as they went down by 19 runs at Harborne.

The home side made 200 all out and although Colwall made a promising start to their replay they were undone by Harborne’s female player Sribala Sunderam who finished with a superb 8-49 return as they were dismissed for 181.

Colwall thirds sealed mid-table respectability in Marches League Division Two after beating Knighton on Teme by six wickets in their final league encounter.

Put in to bat, Knighton made a reasonable start before Jack Hughes found his line and length to take two wickets and from then on the visitors struggled against the spin of Toby Clifford (3-34) and Dick Tugwell (2-23). Hughes finished with 4-38 as they were restricted to 134 all out.

Colwall lost Tugwell and Ash Jones, but Hughes (43) and Adam Greaves stood firm in a decisive stand, with the latter finishing unbeaten on 64 as the target was reached with 10 overs in hand.

The fourths also finished mid-table in Division Four after holding on for a losing draw on 87-7 after unbeaten champions Herefordians had rattled up 275-4 batting first.