Wellesbourne move 39 points clear in title race
CRICKET
TITLE-CHASING Wellesbourne increased their lead at the top of the Cotswold Hills League Premier Division to 39 points after a 90-run victory against Long Itchington.
Bourne set a score of 255-5, Jamie Maynard top-scoring with 74 and Gary Maynard hitting 58, and the visitors never looked like challenging the total. Tom Stephenson finished with four for 49.
With four games left to play, the title is now very much within Wellesbourne’s grasp after second-placed Earlswood suffered a big setback in losing at Alcester & Ragley.
Alcester are battling to escape the relegation zone but they sealed a six-wickets success after Earslwood were hustled out for just 93 and Alcester eased home to boost their survival hopes.
Shipston-on-Stour were also victorious, defeating visitors Catherine de Barnes by 112 wins.
In Division One, Rowington produced a superb bowling display to topple leaders Leek Wootton. The Rs’ total of 135-9 seemed far from substantial but they skittled out the table-toppers for 116 for a 19-runs win.
FISSC also managed to defend their total, scoring 194-6 against Kineton and then bowling the visitors out for 162 to secure a victory to leap above their opponents and out of the bottom two.
Temple Grafton and Wellesbourne 2nds both found runs hard to score as they suffered heavy defeats in Division Two but Shipston 2nds returned from their match at Long Itchington 2nds with a 91-run win.
Batting performance of the day came from Stratford Bards, with another record-breaking display in Division Four.
The Bards set a highest ever home score at Alscot Park Estate only two weeks ago, scoring 341-8, but bettered that by smashing 385-4 against Blockley. The visitors were then blasted out for just 75 all out as the Bards won by 310 runs to move within eight points of leaders Dorridge and Hockley Heath.
Full cricket reports in this week’s Herald.