LECHLADE moved within one win of clinching their first ever Glos/Wilts league title on Saturday with a 74-run win at home to Chippenham.

West Of England Premier

Glos/Wilts Division

Lechlade 318-2

Chippenham 244-6.

Lechlade now lead the division by 35 points with two games to play as second-placed Rockhampton crashed to a surprise defeat at bottom-of-the-table Chipping Sodbury.

Lechlade elected to bat first and got off to another great start with Sam Burdock and Paul Godding putting together a 91-run partnership before Godding was caught for 55.

With a good foundation set Brad Dial went to the wicket knowing he had the freedom to play shots and he was soon in the groove.

Dial brought up his half-century off 44 balls an then hit the accelerator, reaching his ton 24 balls later.

Dial did his best to give partner Burdock the opportunity to complete his maiden league century and he was stumped by Cookson for 144 in the last over looking for a quick single. Joe Breet came to the wicket with three balls to go and with Burdock on 98 the captain took a single off his first ball to put Burdock on strike. Burdock then also took a single off the next ball to leave him stranded on 99 at the close of the innings.

Burdock and Dial had shared in a partnership of 221 with Dial scoring 14 fours and seven sixes as Lechlade set the visitors a target of 319 to win.

Chippenham’s innings got off to steady start and they had taken the score to 92-2 at the drinks break which was on a par with the Lechlade innings, they lacked the acceleration after the break and despite an impressive knock of 70 from Tom Young and 51 from Aaron Merryweather the visitors finished well short of the target set on 244-6.

Lechlade’s coach Luke Sellers said: "The lads deserved the win today.

"It would have been easy for us to have eased up with the runs on the board but we kept to task and we now know a win next week will take us to the Premier Leagues.”