STRATFORD swept majestically to an easy victory over bottom-of-the-table Smethwick, the 18 points taking them back into third spot behind Cannock who lost and Walsall who won.

Smethwick were asked to bat first and a stubborn opening partnership of 32 in 7.2 overs was ended by David Lamb courtesy of a low, diving catch by stand-in wicket keeper Simon Ferguson at the start of the eighth over.

The wicket was Smethwick captain Steve McDonald, with 19 from 31 balls (3-4s), which proved to be their top score.

The second wicket fell seven overs later to Mike Palmer at the start of his second over to make it 53-2 from 14 overs. Opener Foster departed with 17 from 34 balls (2-4s), the second highest of the innings.

It then became a procession after Palmer struck again at the start of the 19th over, to make it 61-3 from 18 overs, and his own figures 2-5 from four overs. Craig Copeland took over from Lamb for the 20th over only to be greeted by a six off his first ball by Bhatti.

But Copeland had his revenge at the end of his second over, removing Bhatti with a second catch by Chris Howell to make it 73-4 from 22 overs.

A shower drove the players off the field for 15 minutes and on the resumption, the procession became a rout.

Palmer struck again with the second ball of the 23rd over without addition to the score and Copeland made it 73-6 in the next over.

Four overs were then defended by Khan and Masood before Copeland made a double strike in the 28th over, a double wicket maiden, and it was 79-8.

He had taken 4-11 from five overs, while Palmer had earlier been 3-6 from six overs. The latter struck again in the 31st over to make it 89-9 and Copeland finished it off at the end of the 32nd over to wipe Smethwick out for 90.

Copeland with 5-20 from seven overs and Palmer 4-12 from 10 overs had had a field day.

With Humphrey not available Stratford began their reply with Huw Jones and Simon Wootton and both found runs hard to come by in their chase for a very moderate target. There were four maidens in the first nine overs as they struggled to eight off the first six.

The first ball of the seventh over brought Wootton's downfall, lbw to Australian Thorpe which was followed in the next over by the loss of Chris Howell at 10-2 off nine overs.

Jones was joined by Jim Troughton and they proceeded carefully during their first few overs to reach 28 off 16 overs with Troughton on nine after 40 balls faced and Jones 12 after 42 balls. Nine runs off the 17th over brought the end of Thorpe, but four overs followed with only two runs added.

There was plenty of time, however, and the boundaries began to come with fine cover and square drives and neat shots off the legs.

The 50 had come in 22.4 overs and with bursts of 7, 6, 7 and a 10 off various overs between a few ones and twos per over, the target was approached.

It became 88 from 33 overs when Troughton struck Foster's first ball to the boundary to record a fine win by 8 wickets removing the gloom of the previous two matches.

The young Warwickshire pair had compiled an excellent unbroken partnership of 82 in 24 overs, with Jones ending on 46 not out from 96 balls with five fours, while Troughton registered 37 not out from 80 balls with three fours.