OLD Elizabethans' excellent early season form continued with an impressive four-wicket win over local rivals Evesham at Albert Road on Saturday.

Skipper Sean Cairney won the toss and invited the home side to have first use of the pitch.

Matt Sprague (1-18) struck first when he bowled Evesham captain Stuart Williams with the score on 19.

However, Powell and overseas player Marshall compiled a 61-run partnership during the next 22 overs before Marshall fell to an excellent catch by Ollie Griffiths off the bowling of Stuart Phillips. The fall of this wicket proved to be the turning point of the innings.

With Evesham making slow but steady progress, a reasonable score still looked to be in the offing with nearly 30 overs to go. However, the introduction of Phillips (6-24) and Griffiths (3-13) proved to be the bowling combination that the home side's batsmen could not resist.

Bowling a telling line and length, Phillips proved too much for the middle order as he claimed six wickets during his 10-over spell.

At the other end, Griffiths pegged back the scoring rate, bowling five maidens in his 11-over stint, including taking three wickets in his final over. The duo were primarily responsible for reducing Evesham from 97-4 to 112 all out with the final six wickets falling for the addition of only three runs.

With only three Evesham batsmen reaching double figures, the OEs attack had provided the visitors with a target that would prove to be more testing than they might have imagined. Simon Macey and Jamie Boyle had posted 15 before Boyle became the first of Alex Harrison's four victims.

Sam McNally (25) then joined Macey and the pair added 23 before the former was adjudged lbw. Harrison, a former Old Elizabethans player, continued to bowl an excellent spell, taking wickets at regular intervals and finishing with the impressive figures of 4-35 from 22 overs.

With the Evesham bowlers and ground conditions making runs hard to come by, the OEs batsmen were made to work hard for every run.

Andy Hemming (43 not out) proved to be the mainstay of the reply, playing all the bowlers with respect while punishing the bad balls as OEs reached their target in the 44th over.

Meanwhile, OEs seconds moved to the top of division two with a hard-earned victory over Evesham at the Memorial Ground. The home side asked Evesham to bat on a damp and overcast day.

Stuart Tipper was the OEs star, taking 5-43 as Evesham were bowled out for 164.

He was well supported by some fine ground fielding, although OEs catching abilities seemed to have been left on the practice ground with five attempts missed.

The last-wicket pairing of Jamie Anderson and James Cutler added 28, before the home skipper turned to Chris Dale (2-19) to wrap up the innings.

Steve Burgoyne (24), Dan Fitzgibbon (29) and James Bull (28) were the pick of the hosts' batsmen, while Tipper (21no) and Pete Boyle (23no) saw their side to victory.

The third XI were thankful to the efforts of the groundstaff for helping get their match underway.

Hosting Ross-on-Wye, OEs won the toss and inserted their opposition on what looked to be a wicket with some juice in it that should help the seam bowlers.

Australian Steve May bowled a long spell for his side and was rewarded with six wickets as Ross were dismissed for 173.

In reply, Howard Nicholls blasted 63, while Phil Slade (32), Jon Sprague (29) and Rob Butterworth (23) all contributed. It was then left to Kelvin Beeching and Kevin Tipper to guide their side home to a five-wicket win.