WEPL Premier Two

Keynsham 165 all out Lechlade 169 all out

LECHLADE'S South African player Bradley Dial finished the season as the West of England Premier League's leading batsman, scoring 1,227 runs at an average of 102.

Meanwhile, Lechlade seconds secured the Wiltshire Division Two title with a comfortable 75-run win over Burbage and Eastern Royal.

Dial again proved the match winner for Lechlade firsts in their final game of the league campaign – but with the ball rather than the bat.

Reg Keates (40) seemed to be guiding Keynsham to victory when he was bowled by Dial to give the visitors a thrilling four-run victory.

On a slow pitch and damp outfield at Keynsham scoring was never going to be easy as Lechlade were asked to bat first.

Freddie Martin (10) lost patience after 11 overs and was caught, but when Keynsham removed Dial, Joe Breet and Sam Burdock in the space of five overs it was looking difficult for Lechlade at 60-4.

Benny Ellis looked strong and capable but the middle order could not resist going aerial rather than supporting the man in control. With seven down for 109, Luke Sellers joined Ellis and finally provided some sensible support; while only scoring four runs he put on 44 with Ellis. Nonetheless Ellis was left stranded on 63* with two overs to spare.

A total of 169 still looked competitive if Lechlade could bowl and field well.

Keynsham raced to 30 off four overs but then Sellers was brought into the attack and had James Mitchell caught at slip fourth ball; two balls later he bowled the dangerous Josh Tasman-Jones.

Two overs later he clean bowled the other opener, Russ Wakefield, and Keynsham were finding it hard to get a bat on him. A patient fourth-wicket partnership of more than 40 between Cameron Herring and Daniel Jarman seemed to have steadied the innings especially since the injured Freddie Martin had to leave the attack after only one ball.

Ellis showed his prowess with the ball, as well as the bat, by bowling Herring for 15 and then Lechlade chipped away at the Keynsham batting with wickets for Sellers (4-16), Ellis (2-32), Tristan Hawkes and Tom Barnes. At 122-8 it looked like Lechlade’s game but Tom Bryan and Keates took the score to 159 before Bryan was run out leaving Keynsham to score 11 off the final over to win. Brad Dial’s first two balls went for four and two respectively but his third bowled Keates for a dramatic victory.

Lechlade finished the season in mid-table but will need to learn lessons, specifically to ensure improved availability of players, if they are to mount a serious challenge in the newly formed Gloucestershire & Wiltshire second tier division of WEPL in 2016.