COLWALL beat the weather and stole a march on their Worcestershire Cricket League Division One title rivals with a crushing nine-wicket home victory over bottom side Bredon.

After persistent light rain delayed the start for nearly two hours skipper Ben Cooke asked Bredon to bat first in a contest limited to 35 overs per side.

The decision paid off as they plunged from 40-2 to 79 all out in the 24th over.

Colwall blitzed the target in just 12.1 overs to go 44 points clear at the top.

Once Dan Newby made the initial breakthrough in the third over, paceman Luke Dalley (3-36) took the next three to fall as only Charlie McVicar (42) put up any sustained resistance.

Spinners Nick Brown (3-11) and James Wagstaffe (2-1) completed the rout.

Cooke and Nick Panniers quickly achieved a half-century opening stand before the former was caught after seven fours in his 35.

Ben Wheeler hit four fours and a six in taking 22 from an over to settle the match.

The seconds beat Division Five hosts Chaddesley Corbett by five wickets in a frantic run-chase restricted by the rain to 30 overs each.

The hosts were kept to 187-7 as Jack Knight-Adams took 3-37 and Eddie Hill 2-33.

Openers James Waters and Idress Mohammed both hit 36 while John Card (17) and Steve Coffey (25) contributed quick runs.

A controlled 58 not out from Dan Brierley sealed victory with five balls left.

Colwall thirds, without a win in Marches League Division Two, finally got off the mark with a seven-wicket victory over Woolhope.

A fourth-wicket stand from veterans Steve Wright and John Henry saw them home.

Woolhope closed on 162-6 with Wright taking three quick wickets after Henry and Dick Tugwell slowed down the run-rate.

A further shower left Colwall chasing 147 from 29 overs and Adam Greaves scored 25 before Wright (69no) and Henry (34no) secured victory with five balls left.

Colwall fourths looked set to win in Division Four at Burghill, Tillington and Weobley thirds but lost to a boundary off the last ball.

Simon Oliver (60) Griff Price (35) and Mark Pedder (38no) scored most of Colwall’s 175-8 but solid batting saw the hosts to 179-7.