NITESH Patel hit a half-century as Old Hill picked up a vital seven-wicket win at Smethwick.

In the week skipper Dan Cox told his players needed to start taking responsibility for their performances, they responded in the best possible way with victory in a game reduced to 30 overs-a-side.

But the 20 points gained were still not enough to lift Old Hill out of the Birmingham League Division One bottom two, ahead of this weekend’s home clash with Coventry and North Warwickshire.

After winning the toss, Old Hill put the hosts into bat and enjoyed their first success when Humais Butt had veteran Harshad Patel (13) caught with the score on 21.

Aside from the expensive Mattheus Treuberg, the visiting bowlers were able to keep the run-rate pegged.

Seb Soukup bowled nine overs for figures of 1-17, while Nigel Davenport was the pick of the bowlers as he snared 3-19, with Smethwick only managing to muster 99-6 from their allotted overs.

Old Hill had been bowled out for just 98 against Bromsgrove seven days earlier, which had sparked Cox’s comments.

But this time their run chase was given a sound footing thanks to an opening stand of 58 between MIke Hingley and Nitesh Patel.

Hingley was eventually dismissed for 29 but Patel stayed to make an unbeaten 52 and see the visitors home with under four overs to spare.

The seconds also had cause for celebration as they were winners by six wickets at home to Bridgnorth.

In a game reduced to 40 overs-a-side, Old Hill won the toss and asked the visitors to bat.

Bridgnorth’s openers began well before skipper Harry Martin was caught by substitute fielder Nathan Davies, on for skipper Mo Javaid, off the bowling of Bilaal Mohammed.

Davies also bagged a run-out and Mohammed finished with figures of 5-26 as the visitors were restricted to 139-7.

Shezad Aslam then smacked 71 in Old Hill’s reply. Reece Shilvock (22) and Hamsar Ahmed (17) gave strong support as the hosts got home with more than eight overs to spare.