CRICKET: Lechlade's title bid is going to the wire (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Lechlade clash with leaders Great Bedwyn this weekend

2:33pm Monday 20th August 2012 in Sport

West Of England Premier (Wiltshire Division).

Lechlade 276-7 Malmesbury 162 all out. LECHLADE maintained their title challenge with a comfortable 114-run win over Malmesbury at the Manor Ground on Saturday.

The result keeps Lechlade in second place in the table, seven points behind league leaders Great Bedwyn, who they meet in a must-win game this weekend.

Malmesbury won the toss and elected to bowl and the Lechlade opening pair of Ali Killham and Paul Godding moved the score on to 61 when Killham was bowled by James Pickering for 26.

Arran Dickinson replaced Killham and played the supportive role as Godding started to open up with the pair bringing up the 100 partnership in the 33rd over. Malmesbury’s Philip Cook eventually got the breakthrough when he had Godding caught in the deep by Theo Blundell three runs short of a century and with the score on 213.

Lechlade then had their now-customary middle order collapse, losing three wickets for the addition of just five runs in 23 balls.

But Lechlade coach Luke Sellers and the lower order added 58 runs off the last five overs. Sellers was 32 not out at the close and scored his runs off just 17 balls.

Will Bowers scored 17 off seven balls and was also not out at the close of the innings with the Lechlade score at 276. Malmesbury, in reply, frustrated the main Lechlade strike bowlers, moving to 98-1.

Dickinson came on and had George Royle caught by Paul Rowley for 24.

The last eight Malmesbury wickets fell for just 64 runs with Lechlade spin bowler Max Dawe ending with match figures of 5-7.

Josh Gillespie top-scored for the visitors with 45, while there were useful contributions from Tim Phillips (22) and Robert Gillespie (23).

So Lechlade matched Bedwyn's 20-point win at Spye Park. Burbage & Royal Easton won convincingly against Nationwide House and remain in third but are now only two points behind Lechlade.