AN excellent spell of new ball bowling by Rowan Dakin was the fillip that the West needed after their disappointing result at Halesowen in their previous WCL match.

In tandem with Steve Wright, in aggressive mood from the lower end, Dakin bowled down the hill with control and movement to rip the heart out of the Old Hill upper order.

Old Hill chose to bat in dull and blustery conditions with the threat of imminent rain. Wright struck in the first over having Ash Ali caught at point by Tony Williams and Dakin removed the Old Hill skipper Steve Elsworth (6) in the fourth over. Ahmed (5) survived an appeal for caught behind off Wright which clearly unsettled him, but then obliged a Bob Rogers and Dakin combination shortly afterwards. Chris Hill tried to shake off the shackles hitting powerfully to the boundary but he fell to a superb low catch by Richard Dudley off Dakin for 23. Kashif fell in the same Dakin over being trapped lbw for five leaving the Old Hill in dire straits.

The innings was momentarily stabilised by Matt Allard and Fash Ali who batted sensibly against the West's openers; Wright (45-1) was replaced by Richard Dudley and the excellent Dakin deservedly picked up his fifth wicket when he cleaned bowled Ali (18) with an unplayable delivery in his 11th over. His final figures of 12-3-31-5 were his best in the league.

Dudley claimed his first wicket when Rogers stumped Mohammed Wagnes making the score 75-7 in the 27th over but then the Old Hill tail put up some stern resistance. Allard was well supported by Sam Watton until he was bowled by Dudley for 20, Dave Church (7) continued the recovery but it was Sam Ward who had the most affect. Tim Millis finally had Ward caught at slip by Dudley in his second over. Ward's 19 had taken the visitor's final score to 147.

After a wayward first over by Ward, Kashif gave Old Hill hope when he had Williams caught by Hill for a duck and then snapped up Wright (8) caught and bowled with the score on 24.

Shailly Badra joined Brian Pleass and they managed to maintain a scoring rate of four an over by punishing anything loose. Badra (10) was unfortunate to edge Kashif to A Ali at first slip.

Skipper Gilbert in determined mood joined the blossoming Pleass with the score at 67-3 after 16 overs. Together they saw off Kashif (10-2-25-3) and withstood some testing bowling from Ahmed and Hill.

Aided by a plethora of extras the score moved inexorably towards the victory target. With rain starting to fall Pleass smashed 14 from an Ahmed over and Gilbert (28no) seven from the next over by F Ali to level the scores. Pleass hit the winning runs from the second ball of the 32nd over to finish on 60no as the weather worsened.

This was an excellent result for West Malvern, their well earned 24 points leap-frogging them over their opponents into third place in WCL division six.

Bottom side Enville visit tomorrow (Saturday).