Box eased their relegation worries on Saturday with a narrow 7 run success away to Spye Park.

Box lost the toss and were asked to bat first. Box made a steady start thanks to Phil Oliver (33) and Neil Pettit (29), when Pettit was the first to fall with the score on 38. J.Beal taking the wicket, caught by Taylor at short fine leg. Beal finishing with an excellent spell of 1 for 24 from his 12 overs.

Bultitude joined Oliver at the crease and the pair took the score to 94 before Bultitude (26) was bowled by Hulse (4-52). Steve Perrin (34), back with the club he started his career with showed his value with some well struck fours and sixes.

Oliver departed soon after with the score on 132, bowled by Fennell (2-50). Perrins innings was over when Fennel found a leading edge to loft a simple catch to Hutchins. Trotman (31) and Hayward (22) kept the scoreboard ticking nicely before Hulse accounted for both of them and contributions futher down the order from Bray (9), Bond (8) and Crawford (9 no) took Box to a final total of 226 for 8.

Spye Parks reply got off to the worst possible start as Crawford (3-43) trapped Fennel LBW in the first over and Hayward (2-37) clean bowled West in his first over to leave the hosts on 2 for 2.

However a solid partnership in good time between Bathe (38) and Hulse (51) took them to 91 before Hayward bowled Bathe and soon after Kev Dolman (2-61) bowled Hulse with the perfect inswinger through the gate.

Dolman picked up his second wicket after Perrin took a sharp catch in the covers to remove Bowater (4). Tortman (1-31) took Box's 6th wicket taking a caught and bowled to remove A.Beal (6).

With the score on 128 for 6, Box were nearly home and dry. But Andy Ellis and J.Taylor had other ideas, both batted very well to take Spye close to victory.

With just two overs to go, Spye needed 15 to win with 4 wickets in hand. After scoring 6 off the first 3 balls of the penultimate over Ellis was bowled by Pettit (2-28) for a well deserved 62.

Hutchins was off the mark, first ball with a double but skied a catch to Crawford in the deep the very next ball off Pettit.

With 9 needed off the final over, Crawford finshed off the last two batsmen in successive balls, Bryant took a catch after Baker edged behind for a duck and John Beal was trapped LBW the very next ball to give a huge sigh of relief to the away side as Spye Park were all out for 219 having been 217 for 6 just 5 balls earlier.

"This was such an important win for us to ease some of the relegation worries," said captain Dave Crawford.

"We are now 22 points above the drop zone with two games to play. It was a true team effort, where everybody contributed and hopefully we can have more of the same at to Bradford this weekend"