LECHLADE completed the first half of this season's WEPL Glos/Wilts programme with a five-wicket win at home to Warminster on Saturday.

WEPL Glos Wilts Division

Lechlade 159-5

Warminster 158 all out

Lechlade's sixth victory of the season keeps them in second place in the table, five points behind current league leaders Rockhampton.

The win owed much to a captain’s innings from Joe Breet who scored an unbeaten 86 off 102 balls when Lechlade looked to be in danger of a batting collapse with the score on 87-5 in reply to Warminster’s 158 all out.

Breet’s innings included 11 fours and one six.

The game had been reduced to 38 overs following a delayed start due to the weather and much credit is due to patient umpires Bob Owen and Avindash Waphray for the completion of the game.

Warminster won the toss, batted first and looked to be in some considerable trouble at 25-3 as Luke Sellers and Michael Craigs both took wickets in their opening spells.

Warminster then showed some resistance through Tom Weaver (37) but once Will Nichols removed the opener LBW two more wickets quickly followed and Warminster found themselves at 93-7.

The Warminster tail then wagged with an eighth-wicket partnership of 63 before Nichols made the final breakthrough, picking up three wickets in his last over to finish with 6-21 off his seven overs.

Lechlade got off to a disastrous start and Breet found himself coming to the wicket with the score on 3-2 after only 19 balls of the Lechlade reply.

Breet first with Brad Dial (15) and then Arran Dickinson (12) wrested the initiative back from the visitors and seemed to be cruising to victory at the drinks break with the score on 87-3.

Lechlade then wobbled again with Dickinson being dismissed with the second ball after drinks.

When Paul Godding followed eight balls later without scoring Lechlade looked to be in some danger at 87-5.

However, Breet dug deep and with the aid of Oli Thornley scoring an unbeaten 38 off 68 balls which included two impressive sixes the pair saw the riverside team home to victory with nine balls to spare.