WESTBURY suffered an agonising defeat on Saturday when a pulsating run chase saw them fall just one run short of Hanham's total.

Having secured a comfortable win at Portishead the previous week, Westbury went into the match full of confidence. But despite a first 50 of the season from Adam Pothecary they could not quite edge past their visitors score of 196-9.

Westbury made two changes for the game, which was their first against Hanham in the new pyramid system. Andy Elliott and Christian Knott both came into the side while Tom Baker and Paul Gainey missed out.

Hanham won the toss, but were pegged back early on and after a cautious start reached just 63-0 from their first 20 overs. Their run rate increased dramatically when Ian Davies came to the crease as Hanham racked up a further 108 runs by the 40 over mark.

At 171-3 Hanham looked set to push past 200 and secure a bonus point into the bargain, but Westbury captain Alex Hart had other ideas. In just three overs he took four wickets including three caught and bowled.

Reduced to 196-9 Hanham knew they needed a strong bowling performance if they were not stop Westbury's in-form South African opener Joe Breet. Indeed the home made a flying start, reaching 60 without loss in just 10 overs.

But disaster struck as Breet was run out on 35 after some sharp fielding from Pothecary's drive. Buoyed by having secured the key wicket Hanham's bowlers came into their own.

Only Pothecary passed the 40 mark as wickets fell at regular intervals. But the home side continued to score at the required rate of just over four runs in their 45 overs.

The game came down to the wire with Westbury needing 14 runs from the last over, which they finished on 195-9. In the end Hart and his team were left to ponder what might have been and regroup for tomorrow's game at Timsbury.