Old Hill stayed top of Birmingham League Division One with a resounding five wicket derby win at Halesowen.

The visitors were on top from the moment they won the toss and asked their relegation-threatened hosts to bat.

Elliot Wilson took 8-40 as Old Hill made the most of a lamentable Halesowen display which saw them dismissed for just 90.

And while home skipper Mo Ishtiaq took three wickets to ensure Old Hill had to work for the victory, his side never looked like avoiding a defeat which pushes them closer to the relegation trap door.

Things look set to get even worse if Ishtiaq is sanctioned for an unseemly incident near the end of the match, when he and opposite number Nathan Round clashed in the middle.

Halesowen were bowled out within two hours but Old Hill did not start their reply for another 90 minutes, after several rain delays.

Openers Mark Fisher and Mike Hingley made a steady start, before Fisher was bowled by Ishtiaq for six with the score on 24.

Mussavir Khoote hit his first ball for six and smacked 18 in an impressive cameo but he was bowled by Ishtiaq, who then removed Nitesh Patel for a duck.

That brought Round to the crease, who together with Hingley brought the runs required down to 29, before the opener was caught on the boundary off Shalith Warnapura.

The same bowler removed Dan Wood to leave Old Hill 71-5 but Halesowen never had enough runs to play with.

Emotions then overflowed in the penultimate over when, after Richard Jones had smashed Ishtiaq for a huge six, the Hales skipper and Round had to be separated by team-mates.

Suspensions could follow and that could prove disastrous in particular for Halesowen, who certainly cannot afford to be without their best batsman and most potent bowling threat if they are to have any chance of staying up.

Hales now travel to fellow strugglers rivals Stratford on Monday, while Old Hill host promotion rivals Brockhampton (both noon starts).