BROMYARD lie in second place in Division 1 of the Crusader Worcestershire County League after gaining a comfortable seven-wicket win at Flaggoners Green against Netherton.

Netherton made 173 batting first but Oliver Bailey scored his first half century of the season to lead Bromyard home with more than 10 overs to spare.

Zahid Saeed (3-31) and Barry Rhodes (2-56), plus a couple of wickets for debutant spinner Jonathan Boynton, did the damage with the ball, while Rhodes (44) and Saeed (29) supported Bailey (77 not out) after a rare failure for Ashley Bullock.

Adeel took six wickets as Eastnor successfully defended a low score of 115 to win by 31 runs at Droitwich. The home side were bowled out in the 47th over for 84.

Eastnor found runs hard to come by when they batted first, 25 extras being second top-score. After coming in at 37-4, Shahid (23) prospered for a while, but after he was dismissed it was skipper Jabran (38 not out) who held the innings together. It was equally difficult after tea as Andrew Fletcher (19 not out) top scored for the home side. Adeel (6-28 off 17 overs) was the star of the Eastnor attack.

Colwall retained top spot in Division 2 after picking up maximum points from a 55-run away win at Alvechurch. After a stuttering start they reached 152 and then turned around and bowled their opponents out for 97.

Richard Neale (44) came in at 12-2 and held the innings together. Once he was out Gareth Bakewell (34) and a run-a-ball 25 from Darren Cooke pushed the score past 150.

After posting 34 for the first wicket, the home side slipped to 50-6 as Cooke (3-15) ripped out the middle order. Wolstencroft made 34 but Charlie Griffiths (5-40) cut through the rest of the batting.

Monmouth are still hot on their tails after recovering from 76-7 to pass visiting Malvern’s modest total of 126 without further loss, winning by three wickets in the 47th over.

Skipper Dan Head (42 not out) and Paul Swingwood (16 not out) produced the biggest partnership of the day to steer Monmouth home. Wayne Etheridge (10) was the only other batsman to reach double figures, with 30 extras helping their cause.

Earlier in the day Jonathan Roberts was the star turn, taking 5-41 from his marathon 22-over stint, and hauling the score back after Malvern looked well set at 53-0.

Ian Herbert’s hard work with both bat and ball went unrewarded when Wormelow slipped to a four-wicket defeat at home to Rushwick in Division 3.

He top-scored when Wormelow batted first and finished up on 172-9, and then turned around and took five wickets before Rushwick eased home with five balls to spare.

Skipper Shaun Waldron (33) got his side away to a solid start, but then it was down to Herbert. He struck nine boundaries in his 69, made off 79 balls.

Andrew Weston bagged an early wicket, but then Herbert took over. He claimed the other five wickets to fall, finishing with 5-50 off 21.1 overs. Unfortunately the stubborn Mark Groves (80 not out) proved too elusive for him.

Alex Hedges batted throughout the Burghill & Tillington innings to lead his side to second-place in Division 4 South with a comprehensive 217-run home win against Himbleton.

He made the most of a few lives to reach 171 with 20 fours and six sixes. His main support came from Kingsley Morris (33) and, later, Tim Walsh (42) as they accumulated 324-6.

Morris and Matthew Biggs each took three wickets as Himbleton were bowled out for 107.