6:16pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008
By Sportsdesk
KINETON lost their unbeaten record and found themselves joined at the top of the John Shepherd Cotswold Hills League Premier Division table by conquerors Exhall and Wixford, writes Mervyn Collins.
The visitors made a solid start as Gary Maynard and a bloodied Nick Briggs shared a half-century opening stand.
Briggs was struck on the grill of his helmet by Chris Prescott but battled on before a double change of bowling shifted the pendulum Exhall's way.
John Simpson broke the partnership and Steve Keen produced figures of 3-21 from ten overs as Kineton's batting started to struggle.
Four visiting batsmen passed 30 but none went on to make the big score needed and the leaders had to be content with five batting points in a total of 200-9.
Exhall did have two players who went on to pass 50 as Tom Burnett and Matt Gwynn shared a century stand before Brian Weston removed both only for skipper Simon Hollands and Scott Carmichael to guide the hosts to their target.
Benefited Bretforton benefited from the result but Stratford Bards failed to take advantage as they lost out by 18 runs at Overbury.
The reigning champions are just ten points adrift of the summit pair after getting the better of a high scoring clash with Wellesbourne.
Stuart Berry and Paul Jones accelerated the scoring after Scott Marshall and Brett Woods had both passed 40.
Berry was out in the final over for 89, while Jones smashed an unbeaten 54 off just 27 deliveries to leave the visitors requiring 265 to win.
Morris and Plant raced to 61 in eight overs after tea before the former departed leaving Bretforton to pick up wickets regularly as Jones and Alex Evans bowled well to help restrict the chasers to 232-7.
Shipston's Matthew Corby broke the club's batting record with an innings of 196 against Tanworth-in-Arden.
The opener's innings and half-centuries from Howard Bentham and Jamie Hurrell helped the London Road hosts total a daunting 331-3.
Corby then took cheap wickets as the visitors could only must 129 with Peter Shortley carrying his bat for 63.
Basement side Henley were denied a first win of the summer when Earlswood's last pair steered them to victory.
Elmley Castle closed the gap on first division leaders Catherine-de-Barnes to just two points after Simon Corbett's century helped see off a stiff challenge from Stratford whose brave chase of 255 for victory ended four runs short with Chibber unbeaten on 129.
The leaders lost by 54 runs at home to Norton Lindsey with Moreton and Bidford recording welcome wins at the lower end of the table.
Blockley lost for the first time in Division Three as Claverdon moved into promotion contention but the leaders extended their lead at the summit by two points after Woodbourne's shock defeat to Cookhill.
Bretforton made it eight wins in nine in Division Four to maintain their superiority after a win at Stanway.
Leek Wootton boast a similar record in the fifth division after a six-wicket win at Kineton, while Dorridge and Hockley Heath broke their duck in Division Six after a four-wicket defeat of Kenilworth Wardens.
Catherine-de-Barnes stay top despite losing to Exhall's third string who successfully chased the home side's total of 206-6.
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