Wilts and Glos Division Two

Woodmancote were looking dangerously poised at 74-1 after 15 overs in their pursuit of Marlborough's 220-9.

But the dual bowling change of overseas off-spinner Vinay Sharma and medium pacer Ajay Kumar turned the game back back towards the home side. The pair initially put the brakes on the Woodmancote batting with some neat bowling. Sharma in particular bowled some magnificent deliveries, spinning the ball prodigiously and beating the bat at will.

By the time the pair had finished their spells of 13 overs, Woodmancote were all but out of the game at 152-6 with only 7 overs left.

The outstanding Sharma finished with 3-33 with his support bowler Kumar ending his 13 over stint with 2-58.

One thing Marlborough have to learn though is to kill games off as yet another valuable lesson was given to the locals as Woodmancote rallied by smashing 25 from their next two overs, meaning they now required an acheiveable 43 from the remaining five overs.

Fortunately, opening bowlers George Fox (reverting to off-spin) and youngster Tom Wallbridge bowled a couple of efficient overs containing important breakthrough's to bowl out the visitors for 195.

Fox finished with figures of 3-50 from 9.4 overs.

Earlier in the day, openers Tom Norris and Navid Ahmad once again looked excellent after initial caution in a tricky opening.

They took the score to 82 at a healthy 5 an over, when once again to much surprise a wicket fell with the pair well set.

But Norris had already scored a classy 54. Ahmad continued and looked to attack but fell disappointingly caught on 41 and with Hendy Alleyne later adding 39 fairly easily, the platform was set at 170-3 albeit with a run rate at just below 5.

In the end Marlborough's middle order ran well to push the score up to 220 for 9, but in reality a total closer to 250 should have been achieved so as to virtually assure a winning target.

Marlborough travel to fourth-placed Cinderford on Saturday.