Leamington can draw plenty of positives from latest outing

Winning the toss, Leamington asked Old Hill to bat first and soon had the visitors struggling on 47 for two as Tom Warner picked up two early wickets.

However, once the new ball was seen off, conditions got easier, with all Old Hill’s top order getting starts to allow them to declare after 53 overs on 248 for six.

Dannyjo Cox (48 not out), Nitesh Patel (44) and Mike Hingley (28) led the way, with Warner (3-52) and Grant Thornton (2-65) the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, Leamington slipped to 43 for three against the excellent opening pair of Toby Lester (1-67) and Humais Butt (4-51).

A partnership of 67 between Shahbaz Alam and Lee Hopkins (26) took the home side out of danger and even when Alam departed for 59, Leamington still had an outside chance of winning as Simon Magill made a hard-hitting 53.

However, despite an excellent 30 not out from Thornton, Leamington had to be content with a losing draw, finishing on 233 for eight.

Leamington 2nds gained a winning draw in a rain-affected match at Old Hill.

In a match initially reduced to 29 overs a side, opener Jack Bewick returned to form with a composed 38 and received good suppport from Jimbo Williams whose undefeated 51 was the backbone of Spa’s 154 for four.

Further rain restricted Old Hill to 20 overs and they were up against it once openers Paul Lawrence and Tom Davison ripped out the top order, each taking two wickets.

An unlikely Spa victory was on the cards but Jared Daniels (42) and Mike Tromans (45 not out) restored order for Old Hill and they were able to save the match, closing on 106 for six.

Stoneleigh claimed a five-wicket victory in a rain-affected top-of-the-table clash at home to Leamington 3rds in Cotswold Hills Division Six.

Stoneleigh won a crucial toss and put the visitors in on a sticky pitch.

The decision looked to have paid off as they restricted their visitors to 57 for four from their opening 30 overs, with Bob Bains (2-7) and Lee Moreton (3-10 off ten) picking up two wickets apiece.

Following a break for rain, Mark Reynolds (24) helped Paul Wilson (58) to take the score to 98 before both fell victim to Phil Chapman (3-21).

Ben Ashmore chipped in with 13 but Leamington’s final total of 124 for eight looked inadequate, even allowing for the tricky conditions.

The rain interruption meant Stoneleigh faced a revised target of 108 from 39 overs.

Leamington claimed an early success courtesy of Chris Range but Paul Lazenby and James Chapman built a patient partnership before Lazenby fell to Ashmore for 21.

Billy Hallett bowled Chapman for 37 but Moreton (23 not out) was quickly into his stride to take Stoneleigh through to their target with eight overs to spare.