Colwall made it five league wins in succession with this 45-run victory, thus maintaining their promotion challenge.

COLWALL v BREDON

Tom Wolfendale won the toss and as expected chose to bat. Wolfendale and the evergreen David Powell gave Colwall a solid start against the excellent attack of Bridge, left arm over, and Hill, a brisk right arm fast bowler.

However, the good work was undone when Powell called for a sharp single, surprising Wolfendale who was stranded in mid wicket run out by a direct hit for 21 to leave the home team 50-1.

Josh Hornyold and Mark Sutton soon followed to leave Tim Riley to support Powell. Riley started quickly taking nine in an over from spinner Hall but thereafter both found it hard to score. Putting bat to ball with in the last 20 overs, Powell perished miscuing to point for 55. The score was then 119-4 after 33 overs.

Richard Williams joined Riley, renewing the opening partnership of 13 years ago, and for a time looked like taking the score past 200. Williams fell nibbling a wide one and Damien Berry promoted up the order to accelerate the run rate fell immediately after. Riley continued to bat carefully and with support from the Sutton cousins was able to edge the total just above 200.

After tea Bredon took advantage of some wayward bowling and some good fortune as edges flew into vacant spaces. With the visitors scoring at five an over the Colwall captain's brow was increasingly knotted. Turning to his senior bowler, David Sutton, was an obvious choice and Sutton did not let him down. He bowled 15 first class overs causing problems to all the batsmen.

It was the support of Stuart Bailey which made the crucial difference. He bowled a tight line and length and was able to deny the Bredon batsmen any scoring opportunities. Meanwhile Sutton with the help of Riley at slip made the crucial breakthroughs. Once one wicket had fallen the rest tumbled as Colwall clung on to every chance, with keeper Ferguson delighted to hold a catch after three barren weeks. Bredon's decline from 79-0 to 157 all out showed that perseverance in the field pays off.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Colwall take on league leaders Winget in a crucial contest at Stowe Lane.