PROBABLY the best performance of the day was at Beanacre where the home side entertained second placed Westinghouse in Division One.
Batting first, Beanacre were restricted to 135-8, with Paul Gilbert (34) and Greg Lapham (23) the major contributors.
For Westinghouse John Cleverley took 3-25 in 15 overs, Paul Gibb 2-33 in 11 and Steve Dicks 2-42 in 14. Beanacre then returned their best bowling display of the season as they removed Westinghouse for just 58, the damage being done by Rob Howard, 3-16 in eight overs, Andrew Store, 3-21 in seven, and Naj Dhutta, 2-3 in 10 overs.
Leaders Calne were at home to Bath Civil Service and consolidated their position with a 27-run win. Joe Breet (45) and Clive Downham (32) helped Calne to 160-6 against some accurate bowling; Chris Mitchell, with 2-14 in nine overs, being the pick. Civil Service were then bowled out for 133 in the 43rd over, with Danny Knights taking 3-24 in seven overs.
Box replace Westinghouse in second place following a fairly comfortable eight-wicket victory over Biddestone. Richard Foley, with 4-22 in 12 overs, helped bowl Biddestone out for 117. Box skipper Gerald Hayward (63 not out) and Foley (33) knocked off the runs off in the 22nd over.
Buscot Park still seek that elusive first win after losing a closely contested match at Potterne by 19 runs. Steve Fortune (49) anchored Potterne's innings of 146 all out as Buscot bowlers kept a tight rein on the scoring. Dave Mills, 4-39 in 15 overs, returned the best figures. In reply, Buscot found runs equally hard to come by and only a patient 69 from Terry Jenner enabled them to total 127 all out in reply.
For Potterne, Andrew Sainsbury continued his good form with 6-37 in 15 overs.
At Burbage the home side made 188-9 against Nalgo, with John Wheeler (48) and Pete Amor (59) top scoring as Stuart Melcalfe took 6-48. In response, Nalgo came very close to victory as they closed at 176-9, with Rob Taylor making 33 and R Qadri 62. Terry Strong's 5-60 just tipped the balance in Burbage's favour.
Division Two
THIS division looks more and more as if the title will be between Collingbourne and Nationwide House.
Nationwide completed the double as they won by six wickets to inflict a second defeat upon Collingbourne. Only Tom Edmunds (83) enabled Collingbourne to reach 170 all out as Steve Lewis took 5-54 and Stuart Archer 4-25. Archer (46 not out) then enabled Nationwide to complete their victory with 13 balls to spare.
The position of these two was strengthened as their nearest three challengers all lost.
At Lechlade, visitors Sutton Veny totalled 194-5, thanks to Graham Brown (77) and Andy Pinnell (44), John Richards taking 3-37. Lechlade in reply were bowled out for 175, J Khan (41) and Hugh Whitby (36) top scoring and Rob McFerran taking 3-49.
At Melksham, Cooper-Avon Tyres made 167-6, with Darren Perrin making 63 and Steve Rendell 40. However, 51 not out from Lorne Kitchen helped visiting Minety to a welcome two-wicket victory.
Great Bedwyn had Swindon Civil Service as visitors and won by 28 runs. After making 156-9, Civil Service were then bowled out for 128 with eight balls remaining.
In the bottom of the table clash at Highworth, the home side gained a 98-run win over winless Bradford Town. Rob Miller (57), Chris Mead (63 not out) and Lee Beaver (48) helped Highworth to an impressive 252-4. Beaver then took 4-6 in a burst of 3.3 overs as Bradford were bowled out for 154, Clive Warren making a gutsy 60.
Division Three
CHERHILL strengthened their position at the top of the table as they gained a narrow 13-run win against visiting Seagry.
Jim Barnes (60), Andy Mortimer (43) and Ben Webber (22) were the main scorers for Cherhill in a total of 170-7. For Seagry, Paul Hewitt took 3-16 in five overs. Henry Harrison, with 5-61 in 15 overs, was then mainly responsible for restricting the Seagry reply to 157 all out, with Mike Purton (37), Richard Thurgood (28) and Ian Thurgood (28) top scoring. The victory came with two overs to spare.
Second placed Urchfont lost ground as they lost to visiting Swindon 3rds. Swindon made 179 all out, with Michael Brooks taking 4-53 in 10 overs. Andrew Phipps responded with 4-21 in eight overs as Urchfont were dismissed for 116.
Wanborough took advantage of this slip to take over second spot as they defeated visitors Dauntsey Gentlemen by 69 runs. Paul Sore (85) top scored in their 202-9 as Nick Marshall took 5-52 for the visitors. Mike Larkin replied with 4-35 as Dauntsey managed only 133-9 in reply.
At the foot of the table Moredon Royal Oak gained useful points at the expense of Spye Park. Steve Williams (37) top scored in a Moredon total of 187-9, John Beal taking 4-25 in 15 accurate overs. Ian Morton took 3-17 in eight overs as the Spye response was restricted to 134-9.
Division Four
THE leaders both won to strengthen their position at the top.
Heytesbury visited Bradford Town 2nds and scored 160-8, with John Leighton making 46 and Justin Wagstaff 49. Dave Edwards took 4-35 in 15 overs. In reply, Ray Barnes had figures of 5-49 in 15 overs as despite the efforts of Vince Edwards (59) and James Edwards (51) Bradford were restricted to 133-8 in reply.
Blunsdon recovered from last week's shock to defeat challenging Corsham 3rds by 35 runs. Rob Harrison (34) and Kevin Aubrey (66) enabled Blunsdon to total 189-9. Corsham, despite the efforts of Paul Greenwood (36) and Rob Toghill (46 not out), were dismissed for 154 as Aubrey rounded off a good day's work by taking 5-28 in 15 overs.
Coates picked up useful points with a well deserved eight wicket win over visiting Lambourne. They bowled the visitors out for 97, with Mike Robins taking 4-12 in four overs and Ian Hobbs (32 not out) top scoring. Paul Deverill (41 not out) and Dan Mead (24 not out) then steered Coates to victory despite a nagging spell of 1-11 in 11 overs by Frank Munday.
Division Five
WITH Avebury having a free week, Warminster 3rds took the opportunity to take over at the top of the division with a 34-run win at Keevil.
Karl Clarke (70) top scored in their 194-9 and, despite a belligerent 40 from Chris Beaven, Keevil were bowled out for 160 with five overs remaining.
Wilcot lost ground as they went down by 41 runs at home to Burbage and ER 2nds. The visitors made 153-9 and bowled Wilcot out for 112.
United Churches gained welcome points as they defeated bottom of the table Nettleton by five wickets . After restricting their visitors to 152-7 they knocked off the winning runs in the 41st over.
Division Six
LEADERS Litten Tree and Buscot Park 2nds consolidated their lead at the top.
Litten Tree visited Lacock and had a surprisingly easy win as they bowled their hosts out for just 30, with John Brown taking 7-13 in seven overs. Litten Tree knocked the runs off in six overs without loss.
At Buscot, in a high scoring match, the home side made 269-4, with Des Williams making 56, Ray O'Neil 87 not out and Ronnie Fernandez 67. In reply, Devizes were bowled out for 220 in the 40th over, Will Francis (53) and Neil Francis (47) top scoring as Fernandez took 4-19 in six overs.
Biddestone 2nds moved up to third spot after defeating visiting Box 2nds by 137 runs. Thanks to Pete Talbot (91), John Lawton (41) and Arran Bell (31), Biddestone raced to 272-7. Ben Athay took 2-26 in four overs and Richard Gray 2-63 in 11. Box in reply could manage only 135 all out, with Athay (20), Simon Boulton (22) and Eldon Diaz (37) the major contributors.
For Biddestone, Paul Tasker took 5-26 in 14.1 overs and Nick Hudson 2-14 in four.
Goatacre 3rds continue to struggle, losing by eight wickets at home to Cooper-Avon Tyres 2nds Goatacre made 83 all out, with John Helps taking 4-15 in 5.2 overs before Pete Rigby (47) set up Cooper-Avon's win.
Division Seven
THE leading duo also gained ground in this division.
Wootton Bassett 3rds bowled visiting Potterne 2nd s out for 85 then Dave Griffin (59 not out) saw them to an eight-wicket win.
Westinghouse 2nds were bowled out for 155 at home to lowly Beanacre 2nds, with Heath Steele-Davis making 38 and Mike Day 36. Steele-Davis then took 4-21 in 15 overs and John Haynes 5-59 in 15 as Beanacre were dismissed for 123 with two balls remaining.
Nationwide House 2nds lost ground as they were beaten at Bath Civil Service 2nds. Civil Service made 170-9, with Mick Lyon making 83 and Paul Lewis returning figures of 7-39 in 14 overs for Nationwide. Lyon followed his fine innings with a burst of 5-13 in five overs as Nationwide were restricted to 151-9.
Trowbridge A take over in third spot after they won at Bradford Town 3rds by 56 runs. Stuart Neate (47) and James Lund (44) helped Trowbridge to 184 all out then James Pike (41) top-scored in Bradford's 128 all out against some accurate bowling.
At Dauntsey, the home side's 2nds entertained All Cannings and scored 169-5, with Andy Cook making 89. Steady batting from Adam Coutiar (43), Richard Holman (29) and Tom Chadwick (30 not out) then took All Cannings to a four-wicket win with 11 balls to spare, despite a fine spell of 5-58 in 15 overs by Neil Thomas.
Division Eight
LEADERS Beehive Bradford were given a fright as they scraped home by two wickets in a low scoring game at Marshfield 3rds.
They bowled Marshfield out for 72, of which John Iles made 43, with Jim Doherty taking 4-9 in 10 overs. Beehive then slumped to 38-8 as Geoff Hall took 4-12 in 12 overs but the ninth wicket pair saw them home.
Warminster 4ths slipped up at home to Cherhill 2nds in another low scoring encounter. Cherhill made 82 all out, with Paul Andrews making a valuable 32, as Peter Davidson took 5-22 in 10 overs. Andrews then took 3-15 in five overs and with the help ofMalcolm Parrack, 3-25 in 12, and David Parker, 3-26 in 15, they dismissed Warminster for 67.
Swindon 4ths got back to winning ways as they rattled up 244-6 at home to United Churches 2nds, thanks to Liam Tucker's 107. Paul Duffy had figures of 2-25. Steve Cole then took 4-22 in 13.3 overs and despite a spirited 54 from Adam Rumbold, Churches managed only 167 all out in reply.
Chippenham 4ths gained a welcome win over their Wootton Bassett counterparts by six wickets. Bassett were bowled out for 99, with Garry Emms (34) and Nigel Packwood (21 not out) top scoring. For Chippenham, Mark Adams took 5-3 in four overs, Nick Day 1-13 in eight and Simon Goodman very unlucky with 0-14 in eight overs. Daniel Young (35 not out) then steered Chippenham home, Mark Garston, with 2-22 in eight overs, being the most successful Bassett bowler.
Devizes 4ths still seek a first victory after a 64-run home defeat against Highworth 2nds. Craig Bell (54) and Danny Firkin (26) helped Highworth to 164-7, Isac Reynolds taking 3-34 in 10 overs. With Paul Young taking 4-50 in 14 overs, Geoff Hall 2-24 in 15 and Shaun Close 3-10 in five, Devizes were dismissed for 100, with Kevin Robert (27) top scoring.
In the mid-table clash at Collingbourne the home side's 2nds came out victorious by seven wickets against visiting Biddestone 3rds. The visitors were bowled out for 106, with Owen Dowsett, 5-19, and Gordon Mackrell, 5-31, doing the damage. Rob Stamp (58 not out) then saw Collingbourne home in the 22nd over.
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