Leaders hoping for good turn from neighbours (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Leaders hoping for good turn from neighbours

NEAR neighbours Alcester and Ragley could give Cotswold Hills League leaders Exhall and Wixford a huge boost ahead of Sunday's visit to Lord's.

Exhall's trip to London means their scheduled league match at Stratford Bards has been rearranged for Septe-mber 4 - a move that could see Overbury take over at the top on Saturday.

However, the team in second place face a potentially precarious visit of the Ragley Park men this weekend when Alcester will be determined to end any thoughts of relegation after last week's crucial defeat of Bidford.

Slumped

Julian Reader, Lewis Clark, Shaun Quirke and Mark Woolley all took two wickets as Bidford slumped from 125-3 after 30 overs to 162 all out after skipper Macer Nash (60) looked like steering his side to a score above 200.

Mick Nason then returned excellent figures of 1-15 off ten overs as the chasers were kept in check but Mark Fawthrop upped the tempo alongside a patient Quirke.

Sixty runs were needed off the final 15 overs and Quirke (58no) and Adam Devey (29no) proved an able pairing as Alcester won with six wickets and two overs to spare.

While Quirke was posting only his second half-century of the summer, Steve Kerby struck his first for Exhall who easily accounted for Ship-ston.

Chasing 179 for victory, the league leaders had Kerby (57no) and Graeme Wickes (77no) to thank for the century stand that brought an easy eight-wicket win.

Jon Morris had earlier hit 67 for the visitors, while Gary Betteridge was unbeaten on 49 before being left to rue a couple of dropped catches that allowed Exhall to stay five points clear of Overbury.

Twyning must have had high hopes of causing a shock when they dismissed Over-bury for 162 but the visiting side's bowlers hit back to shoot out the Tewkesbury men for 114.

The section's other match saw Broadway easily overcome Wellesbourne who now find themselves firmly entre-nched in a battle to avoid the drop.

It promises to be a fascinating Bank Holiday Saturday when Overbury play host to Exhall and Wellesbourne face Bidford when title and relegation matters could be tied up.

Stratford and Ashton are slugging out the tussle for Division Two honours after both sides recorded easy wins last Saturday.

The leaders had 79 runs to spare against Catherine-de-Barnes, while Tom Archer was again in fine form for Ashton who overcame Chipping Campden by six wickets.

Only opener Nicholls rea-ched double figures and Archer's spell of 4-9 helped skittle the visitors for 81. The all-rounder was at the crease when the winning runs were hit having made 36 in a winning reply of 86-4.

Ashton's second string moved up to fourth in Divi-sion Five despite only managing to score 118 at Bretforton.

Storming

Smith and Johns took three wickets apiece but Steve Fletcher (4-11) and Les Haines (3-11) teamed up in storming style to send the hosts packing for 89.

Bretforton's senior side did their hopes of promotion no harm with a 59-run win at Kineton. Tanworth look to have the first division title within their grasp but only 11 points separate the chasing trio.

Six bowlers took wickets as Bretforton defended a total of 161 that brought them 20 points that helped take full advantage of lapses by Henley, losers at Tanworth, and Earlswood who fell five runs short of overhauling Warwick CC Staff's 152-8.

Chambers scored a second successive century as Division Four leaders Leamington overcame struggling Kineton.

Askin added 91 in his side's total of 247-2 - a target that proved far too many despite the chasers reaching 108-4 before losing their last six wickets for four runs as Askin and Roberts turned the screw on the young side.

The threat of double relegation faces Bidford, but the second team staged a remarkable recovery to post a winning 205-5 against Alcester and Ragley.

After 20 overs, they had reached just 38-3 but Stuart Drinkwater's splendid knock of 90 and several spills in the field turned the match on its head.

Freeman and Gill then took four wickets apiece as the winners pocketed 22 vital fourth division points.

Should the winners fail to avoid the drop then they could be facing Fladbury next summer.

The league newcomers look odds-on to gain promotion after easily accounting for Claverdon who had seven players out for ducks!

Steve Guy was best with the ball with figures of 4-22 to help the hosts land an eight-wicket win that sets up a thrilling climax with a final day game at home to leaders Ashorne looking like a championship cruncher.