COLWALL returned to winning ways to retain an 11-point lead at the top of Worcestershire Cricket League Division One.

They cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Oldswinford and Stourbridge Social.

Fine bowling and fielding saw the hosts struggle to 157 all out after electing to bat first on a pitch that produced variable bounce.

Following a century opening stand between Ben Cooke and Nick Panniers, the target was passed with 16 overs in hand.

Oldswinford could not get on top of the bowlers with a wicket each for Mike Gooch and Andy Robertson reducing them to 29-2 by the 17th over.

A stand of 44 briefly kept the visitors at bay.

But spin forced wickets as James Wagstaff and Nick Brown worked their way through the middle order to claim three and two respectively.

Then Richard Howitt returned to wrap up the tail with three more wickets in his last nine balls.

Colwall openers Cooke and Panniers were rarely in trouble, finding the boundary with regularity as they sent up the half-century partnership in the 11th over.

Ten overs later they posted a century stand before Panniers was caught for 52 including a six and eight fours.

Brown and Robertson were both out for ducks in the next over but Howitt (22 not out) joined Cooke (66no) in an unbroken stand of 54 that settled the issue in the 34th over.

Depleted Colwall seconds crashed to a 120-run defeat by Division Five leaders Lye seconds at Stowe Lane.

Lye rattled up 258 and Colwall folded to 138 all out as they slipped to second from bottom of the table.

The thirds were hammered by 174 runs at Almeley in Marches League Division Two.

Matt Oliver (3-18 from seven overs) was the pick of the bowlers while Sam Bradley, Ali Martin and Chris Conlon took two wickets each.

The hosts were dismissed for 199 with Andrew Kettle (59) and Matt Jones (58) scoring most of the runs.

Colwall had no answer to the pace of Brian Dyer (6-4) and Nick Evans (2-15), collapsing to 25 all out in the 12th over with only Bradley (13) reaching double figures.