A HEAVY downpour rescued Colwall when they looked set for defeat against Hagley in Worcestershire League Division One.

Put into bat on a reasonable pitch, the hosts were in trouble from the start as Fergus Cameron played the ball onto his stumps and Nick Brown quickly followed.

Skipper Ben Cooke and Ben Febery rallied with a solid stand.

But when Febery was run out the rot set in and once Cooke (46) was caught behind Hagley’s spin and seam induced a dramatic collapse as the tail disintegrated to 87 all out in the 33rd over.

Hagley soon had problems as Mike Gooch broke through immediately.

When a Cameron long hop was miscued to give an easy catch to James Wagstaffe at mid-on they were struggling on 12-2 when heavy rain brought a halt in the ninth over.

Rain also affected the Second XI Division One clash but Colwall beat Hagley by seven wickets.

Colwall won the toss and inserted their hosts on a wicket enlivened by a brief shower.

Hagley were all out for 159 in the 42nd over with Stuart Martin taking two early wickets while Idris Mohammed, who bowled a straight 17-over spell, and Phil Richardson claimed four apiece.

Set 160 to win, Colwall lost Mohammed in the second over but John Card and Kit Lister shared a decisive second-wicket stand before the latter was bowled for 37.

The in-form Card followed up his century the previous week with 52 before he was bowled but Will Bishop and Simon Davies passed the target with nearly 20 overs in hand.

Colwall thirds saw their bid to escape relegation from Marches League Division Three dashed by the weather as their home clash with Ledbury seconds was washed out soon after tea.

The hosts rattled up 196-2 in 45 overs thanks to a third-wicket stand of 141 between Adam Greaves (79 not out) and Tom Hall (77no) but the rain had the final say.