THE clash between third-placed Biddestone and second-placed Hatherley resulted in a win for the visitors by 36 runs.

As Swindon also won this victory, will keep Hatherley in the second automatic promotion place.

Biddestone won the toss and asked the visitors to bat. Mike Lodder and Dwaine Perry opened the bowling and Dwaine had the opener lbw for a duck with the score on 8 in the fourth over.

Runs were hard to get and Hatherley were 49 for 2 after the first 20 overs and 89 for 5 after 30 overs. Steve Burry was the top scorer with 51, before being caught by Gordon Bedwell off the bowling of Mike Lodder.

Dogged resistance from Matt Jennings (22), John Bridgens (32) and captain James Hutter (22) helped Hatherley to reach 168 for 9 wickets in their allotted 45 overs.

In reply, Biddestone opened with Jon Mason and Adrian Hunt and lost their first wicket when Adrian was bowled for 5 in the fifth over with the score on 22.

Jon Mason was bowled for 15 in the eighth over and this brought Mike Lodder to the crease. But the expected South African partnership of Lodder with Dwaine Perry did not materialise when Perry was bowled for 8 in the 14th over.

It was a dogged innings from Lodder, who was suffering from cramp. he wnet on to top score with 38.

Gordon Bedwell chipped in with a spectacular 41-minute innings scoring 35 including three gigantic sixess and two fours 4s.

But the inning ended with the run-outs of Matt Aitkenhead and Mark Unwin off successive balls and Biddestone finished on 132 in the 42nd over.

Biddestone collecteded five points and Hatherley 17 points.

Biddestone 2nds returned to winning ways following their visit to Winget

Batting first, Biddestone scored 188 for 6 from their 45 overs. On a slow, damp and bouncy green park in Gloucester, the Biddestone batsmen struggled to adjust to the conditions and were struggling at 88 for 6, despite 25 from Arran Bell.

But an unbeaten century partnership from 14-year-old Josh Barnes and veteran Mike Tasker took the score to 188 from the allotted 45 overs.

Barnes fell just one short of his century.

In reply, the home side where never up with the run rate and the Biddestone bowlers kept them pegged back so that they needed ten an over from the last ten overs.

Tasker only conceded 19 runs from 13 overs and Josh Barnes took three wickets. Despite a few lusty blows towards the end, WInget fell well short at 151 for 7.