CLEOBURY Mortimer were this week celebrating a “massive” win in Division One of the Marches League, which lifted Ed Kemp’s team out of the relegation zone.

The Cleobury skipper had called on his batsmen to stand up and be counted after defeats to the division’s top three teams had left his side in the bottom two.

“That was exactly what we needed,” said a delighted Kemp, “James Manley and Sam Evans stepped up after we’d had a mini-collapse at the start, and did the business.

“We’ve been taking enough wickets but we can’t expect to win games if we’re only scoring 120 or 130 runs.”

The hosts maintained their composure with the ball despite squally showers which at one point meant the covers came out only for the rain to have halted as soon as the crease was protected.

Cleobury had restricted third-placed visitors Garnons to 174 all out and their new-found resilience with the bat saw them achieve the required runs in 40 overs, to finish 177 for 5.

“There was no confidence in the team before Saturday,” said Kemp, after a 25-point victory lifted his side 17 points clear of the bottom two. “We were on a bit of a losing streak and getting a bit of a hiding. Nobody wants to get relegated and we definitely enjoyed Saturday, it was a long overdue win.”

But Kemp warned his charges against complacency ahead of Saturday’s trip to basement side Brockhampton, adding: “The win on Saturday half takes the pressure off the team, but that result will be irrelevant if we throw away the points against Brockhampton.”

The unpredictable weather also affected lowly Knighton on Teme’s trip to fellow strugglers Ledbury in Division Two.

The hosts amassed a daunting 220 for 7 from their 40 overs as Brandon Caffull hit an unbeaten 67.

In reply bottom-of-the-table Knighton struggled to 49 for 4 – having lost Matthew James for 4 to sit 6 for 1 early on – and never managed to get up to speed in a rain reduced innings which saw them chasing a revised 196 target. The visitors ended up posting 153 for 7, thanks mainly to Thomas Genders’ 68.

Defeat leaves Knighton 18 points from safety ahead of Saturday’s tough-looking trip to league leaders Glangrwyney.