BROCKHAMPTON continue to make the pace at the top of the Crusader Worcestershire County League Division 1 after recording their third success in three outings.

And, once again, the power behind their victory came from Herefordshire Minor Counties skipper Chris Boroughs who turned in another excellent all-round display, following up an innings of 68 by returning 6-31 as the villagers won by 125 runs at Bewdley.

The home side won the toss and invited Brockhampton to bat but, in spite of the damp conditions, the pitch played well and Dave Mokler and Ashley Nahorniak posted 72 for the first wicket before Mokler departed for 41.

Boroughs then joined Nahorniak and the pair took the score past 130 before Nahorniak was dismissed for a well-made 60.

Boroughs went on to dominate the later phase of the innings with the only other major contribution coming from wicket-keeper Nick Price who contributed a rapid unbeaten 20 as the visitors' innings closed on 235.

In reply, Bewdley made a solid start and had 30-1 on the board after eight overs.

But then Boroughs, who bowled an unchanged 18-over stint, took over and none of the home batsmen was able to make much impression against him as he finished with 6-31.

The seamer received good support from opening bowling partner Richard Parker (2-42) and, subsequently, off-spinner Simon Crump (2-33) as Bewdley were dismissed for 110.

Bromyard had looked set to continue their good start to the season when, in a match reduced to 40 overs-a-side, they had reached 76-0 chasing hosts Astwood Bank's 140-6.

But the loss of Oliver Bailey, who had struck eight boundaries in his 52 from 61 balls, and his opening partner Ashley Bullock (18) set in train a collapse which reduced the Flaggoners Green side to 81-5.

After that, only Edd Oliver, with an unbeaten 14, and Shahzad Mahmood (11) reached double figures in the face of some good bowling from left-arm spinner Jon Summers (5-36) and seamer Peter Alexander (4-35).

Alexander was removed from the attack after delivering his third beamer of the innings but the visitors were still able to muster only 119-9 with last man Dan Mills surviving the final over.

Earlier, Bromyard had won what had seemed an important toss to send the home side in to bat on a damp pitch.

The Herefordshire side's opening attack of Zahid Saeed (1-18 in 11 overs) and Mahmood (2-38) pegged the home team back to 48-3 from the first 20 overs. After that, they increased the scoring rate a little but steady bowling by James Hine (2-38) and Matt Bullock (1-28) restricted the home side to 140-6 from their 40 overs.

Three crucial leg-before decisions went against Eastnor as lost by just nine runs at Redditch.

Chasing only 122 for victory, Eastnor slumped to 25-5 but youngster Josh Emery (22) and Christiaan Ferreira (44 not out) engineered a revival before a further collapse set in.

Last man Jim Sandford (11) joined Ferreira and the pair inched towards the target before the veteran became the third lbw victim with the visitors still 10 run short of their target.

Earlier, good bowling by Faisal (6-57) and Adeel (2-36), backed up by four catches from wicket-keeper Atiq, had ensured that the home side were restricted to an apparently gettable 121.