Smethwick cruise on at the summit

The table-toppers maintained are 29 points clear of second-placed Knowle & Dorridge following a five-wicket home win over Barnards Green.

Chasing 186 for victory, Chris Benjamin made 40 while acting captain Bilal Shafayat was unbeaten on 52 when the hosts passed their target in the 43rd over.

Zain Latif had earlier taken 4-52 as Barnards Green were bowled out for 185.

Himley continued their impressive campaign following last season's promotion with a comfortable -eight-wicket success at home to defending champions Moseley.

Ollie Walker enjoyed a good day with both bat and ball for the hosts.

He took 4-26 from 111 overs as Mosley fell for 173. New-ball partner Hasitha De Silva (3-46) provided impressive support, while Ali Awan made a battling unbeaten 82.

Walker then led the charge with the bat, hitting 67 in an opening stand of 106 with Ollie Westbury in 22 overs.

Skipper Westbury played the anchor role to perfection and was still there unbeaten 53 when his team completed the job in the 41st over.

The win leaves Himley in fourth, just four points behind Berkswell.

At the other end of the table, the race to stay up is hotting up.

None of the bottom five managed to force a win with the eight points Wolverhampton took from their losing draw against Halesowen being the best return among the strugglers, and lifting them out of the relegation zone.

In a rain-hit game at Danescourt, Joe Stanley picked up 5-61 for the hosts but half-centuries from Luke Tulacz and Matt Pardoe saw to 230 all out.

Wolverhampton were then forced to dig against a Halesowen attack in which Ed Bragg (4-19) stood out, ending on 96-7 in the 32 overs that remained.

West Bromwich Dartmouth remain rooted to the foot of the table following a 73-run defeat at Berkswell.

Nick James top scored with 78 while skipper Neil Dexter made a useful 44 in Berkswell's 244-8.

Dartmouth were then bowled out for 171 in the 47th – James completed a fine personal performance by grabbing 4-37 from 16 immaculate overs of slow left-arm. Opener Bruce Thomason made 63 for the visitors and Tim Maxfield added 40.