WEPL Premier Two

Goatacre 185 all out; Lechlade 332-6

LECHLADE travelled to Goatacre for the first time since the days when both sides were in the Wiltshire Division and came away with a convincing 147-run victory.

Lechlade won the toss and captain Joe Breet had no hesitation in batting first for the fourth time this season.

Miles Hammond raced to 15 off 11 balls but then holed out aiming to hit a second six over mid wicket. Breet himself followed shortly after for only nine but Bradley Dial (28) and Benny Ellis (17) kept the scoreboard ticking over nicely.

However, with 95 on the board in the 20th over both were back in the pavilion and Freddie Martin and Paul Godding set about stabilising the innings.

Godding epitomises Lechlade’s capacity to dig in and consolidate knowing they have the ability and depth of batting to accelerate when required. By the 36th over they had taken the score to 164, scoring at about four an over; Godding had reached 20 off 50 balls and Martin brought up his 50 in 77 balls.

While Goatacre is one of the smallest grounds in the league what followed was remarkable.

The next nine overs saw the pair take their partnership to 210 and the score to 303 at a remarkable 15 an over, with 11 sixes. Godding went from 20 to his final score of 94 in 32 balls and Martin raced to his century off 103 balls, finishing on 116* which left Goatacre needing 333 to win.

Goatacre indicated their intention from the start, racing away at the required rate of seven an over but the pattern was set in Miles Hammond’s first over when his opening partner Luke Sellers took an excellent diving catch at square leg.

Sellers himself then had the dangerous Jack Haines caught behind by stand-in keeper, Dial.

Ed Wilkins came to the crease and maintained the momentum but couldn’t find anyone to stay with him as Hammond (3-57) picked up one and Sellers (3-75) two more wickets to leave Goatacre on 85-5.

David Novais came into the attack and induced Wilkins (54) to hole out in the deep and in the next over took a very smart caught and bowled to leave Goatacre on 118-7. Novais has been a revelation this season with his tempting leg-spin providing some useful variety in the Lechlade attack.

Although all but over as a game, Rob Murphy hit a fluent undefeated 39 but Goatacre were finally bowled out for 185 giving Lechlade a convincing victory.

The 20 points and Potterne’s surprise defeat at Keynsham leaves Lechlade six points behind the leaders in second place.

The Lechlade seconds also retained their place at the top of Wiltshire 2nd XI Division with a comfortable 55-run victory over Purton.