COLWALL have been knocked off the top spot in Division 2 of the Crusader Worcestershire County League after an agonising one-wicket defeat to third-placed Bewdley at Stowe Lane.
Defending a disappointing 171 all out, Colwall looked to be in a strong position to maintain their title quest when they reduced the visitors to 21-5.
Damien Berry bagged 5-56 and was responsible for putting the Herefordshire outfit in command.
However, Bewdley skipper Simon Mauger (84) proved the stumbling block for Colwall and almost single-handedly led Bewdley’s recovery.
Mauger well supported by South African all-rounder Navalesh Nadioo (22), who was dismissed by Colwall skipper Mike King with five runs to win.
Mauger then departed, superbly caught by Tom Wolfendale off the bowling of King, who finished with 3-36, to set-up an exciting finish.
Bewdley’s last-wicket pair remained calm and squeezed their side home with just three balls remaining.
Earlier, Colwall opener Nick Panniers struck 63 in Colwall’s modest total which was boosted by an unbeaten 25 from Pete Butler and Ed Smith’s 25.
The defeat was only Colwall’s second reverse of the season and they have been replaced in pole position by Coombs Wood.
Monmouth remain sixth in the table after a winning draw at bottom-of-the-table Lye.
A fine 84 from Australian recruit Jamie Craig provided the backbone of Monmouth’s 236 all-out after the Welshmen had slumped to 90-5.
Paceman Asif Iqbal was Lye’s most threatening bowler, finishing with 5-66.
Lye made a good fist of reaching the target until Jonathan Roberts (5-54) got down to work and the hosts closed on 205-8.
Lye’s victory charge was led by Azar (76), although Monmouth were hamstrung by a poor fielding display in which they dropped five catches.
Roberts ended Lye’s hopes of success when he snapped up four wickets in an over.
Eastnor boosted their promotion hopes to the Birmingham & District League with a 43-run home win over rivals Barnards Green in Division 1.
The villagers have moved into second place - just 13 points behind leaders Stourbridge - after posting 216-9 and then dismissing Green for 173.
Bromyard have dropped to third spot after an exciting losing draw at relegation-threatened Droitwich Spa at St Peter’s Playing Fields.
An unbeaten 103 from opener Paul Bryan dominated the Droitwich innings and the hosts closed on 204-7.
Left-arm seamer Zahid Saeed was the most successful Bromyard bowler, finishing with 5-57 from 20 overs.
Bromyard made an excellent start in pursuit of the target through openers Oliver Bailey (60) and Ashley Bullock (53).
South African all-rounder Barry Rhodes hit 33 but Bromyard’s innings subsided against Jake Young (5-66) and they fell short, reaching 189-8.
Wormelow increased their hopes of remaining in Division 3 after a winning draw at Old Elizabethans 3rd.
Teenager Matt Evans (78 not out) and an unbeaten 43 from former skipper Chris Powell led Wormelow to a challenging 246-5.
Tim Boulter hit 35 and Rob Gummer made 31 but Wormelow slipped to 107-5 in the 28th over.
Evans and Powell then combined to repair the damage with a vital 139-run unbroken sixth-wicket stand.
Although P Boyle made 76 for the home side, Ian Herbert (3-20) and Chris Parry (3-26) bowled well for Wormelow and helped to restrict the Worcester club to 202-8.
Burghill & Tillington’s prolific New Zealand batsman Alex Hedges rattled up 172 in their 224-run demolition of mid-table Himbleton in Division 4 South.
Promotion-chasing Burghill piled up a formidable 329-6 and then Peter Eames bagged 4-15 to helped shoot out the hapless hosts for a paltry 105.
Canon Frome secured their third win of the season with a comprehensive eight-wicket success at basement club Hanley Castle & Upton at The Glebe.
Sam Beale (4-45) impressed for the Herefordshire side and was supported by Louis Watkins (2-21) and Neil Andrews (2-15) in bowling out Hanley for 150.
James Fortnam struck an unbeaten 62 and skipper Andy Rogers weighed in with 59 not out to ease Frome to the target.
Ross-on-Wye remain second from bottom after a losing draw against second-placed Worcester Dominies & Guild at The Park.
Worcester Dominies reached a daunting 325-7 and the home side replied with an encouraging 243-7.
