EYE-CATCHING individual performances are becoming the norm for Shropshire County League side Corvedale 2nd - but it was Russell Wilcox rather than Harry Fiaz who was the star of last weekend’s stunning victory over Madeley 4th.

Wilcox, a medium-fast seam bowler, overshadowed impressive newcomer Fiaz, who had bludgeoned two spectacular centuries and plundered ten wickets in his opening two games for the side, with a memorable bowling analysis of 10-6-9-8 as Madeley 4th slumped from 34-2 to 39 all out.

He hit the stumps four times, and seven of his eight victims were dismissed for ducks as only three Madeley players troubled the scorers.

Opener Ian Hartley top-scored with 19 before being bowled by Wilcox.

Fiaz had to play second fiddle with the ball, taking a tidy 2-23 off nine overs, and his sumptuous batting talents were not required either as number three batsman Mike Herbert blasted an unbeaten 31, winning the game with his sixth boundary, as Corvedale completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win.

It gave them a fourth straight victory in Division Five and Corvedale 2nd skipper Ian Alderson said: “Russell bowled fantastically and it was a brilliant display from him.”

Corvedale 1st had the worst of a draw in Division Three, opener Johnny Hill making 56 and Lea Burton 22 of their 143-7 in reply to Oswestry 3rd’s 246-8, while Division Two locals Bishop’s Castle and Church Stretton both underachieved with the bat to be bowled out for less than 100.

Castle were unpicked for 84 by Condover to succumb by 138 runs - Richard Powell resisting to finish on 34 not out and No.11 batsman Simon Palmer making 16 - and Stretton were dismissed for 92 by Prees, who were on 14-1 in reply when their game was abandoned.

Jack Rayment bagged 4-16 and Jack Purkis made 40 as Bishop’s Castle 2nd defeated Wroxeter Grove 4th by five wickets but the best efforts of Ben Griffiths were not enough for Cleobury Mortimer in Division Three of the Worcestershire League - they were another side who found runs hard to come by.

Griffiths took 3-46 as promotion-chasing Alvechurch &?Hopwood posted 220-8 off their 50?overs, and he was then a lone beacon of defiance with the bat, hitting 25 not out as Cleobury laboured to 78 all out.

Ed Lewis was the only other batsman to reach double figures in scoring 13.

Ten-man Knighton-on-Teme fared even worse in being shot out for a miserly 34 by Marches League Division Two high-flyers Shirebulls.

Four of their side failed to score - including openers Mark Evans and Tim Gasch - and Jack Kitchen (12) was the only player to emerge with even a tad of credit in a sorry showing with the bat.

Chris Breeze ran riot to finish with a devastating 7-12 off nine overs and Shirebulls then lost two wickets in easing home on 36-2 in just four overs.