BURBAGE & Easton Royal have one hand on the Division One title after stretching their lead to 36 points on Saturday.

While Burbage beat bottom team Avebury by seven wickets to maintain their unbeaten record, nearest rivals Bradford Town lost theirs to Hinton Charterhouse, leaving the leaders in a strong position with four matches left.

Put in to bat on a good wicket Avebury lost both openers with only two runs on the board as Burbage opening bowlers James Lavis and Sean Roodt made life difficult.

The third wicket fell in the 11th over with the score on 12 before skipper Greg Dix and John Rheinberg batted for 15 overs.

Spinner Adam Lavis broke up the partnership with his first ball and he and fellow spinner Darren Freegard then ripped through the batting, Freegard taking 4-26 from nine overs and Lavis taking 3-11 from seven.

Sean Roodt (1-17) and James Lavis (2-8) also impressed as Avebury were all out for 66.

Burbage lost skipper James Beaumant in the third over for 0 with the score on 10.

Nick Patel and Roodt took the score on to 36 before Patel was caught behind for 16.

Dan Wooton was caught and bowled by Alex Millward the next over to give Avebury hope of a shock win, but Dave Cope (24) and Roodt (22) steered Burbage home in the 16th over. Bradford went down to bogey side Hinton Charterhouse by three wickets.

Put in to bat they started steadily and had 31 runs on the board when they lost Ian Pinchen caught down the leg side for 19.

Adam Cooksey followed for a duck and James Edwards fell for a hard-working 35.

When Tony Laws was caught off the bowling of Tim Lawson (3-51) for 11, Bradford were 91-4 from 30 overs.

A crucial fifth-wicket partnership of 57 in 10 overs between Nick Gerrish and Matthew Harrington put Bradford back into the game and when Harrington departed for 28, Nick Coles (14) joined Gerrish (64) and took a further 42 runs from the final five overs, as Bradford ended on a modest 190-6.

Hinton’s reply stuttered early on with an early run out and then a clatter of middle order wickets to the veteran Tony Laws (3-42 from 12 overs) and young Kit Chapman, with debut first team figures of 2-36 from seven.

The home side were 70-5 at the half way point, but Bradford Town were unable to push home and Chris Antrobus (26) and Jerry Antrobus (30) runs, supporting the stubborn Peter Borton in Hinton’s chase. Hinton needed 20 off the final two overs, which became three off the final delivery and Borton (59*) smashed a six over midwicket to seal victory.

Box defeated Wroughton Wranglers by 58 runs despite slipping to 97-6, with Phil Oliver scoring 23 and Charlie Simpkins 34.

A useful partnership between Gerald Hayward (50) and Neil Pettit (18) started the receovery and Jonny Peglar (15) and Rich Hulbert (17*) took them to 194 all out, Mark McMeeking taking 5-30 off 11 overs.

Wroughton’s reply started with Martyn Gregory making 47 before Rich Rhymer (1-37) broke through with support from Peglar 2-37.

Hayward’s tight bowling was rewarded with figures of 4-23 off 11 overs, Steve Hall chipping in with 1-25 and Rich Hulbert 2-5 to bowl Wroughton out for 136.

Division 2

COLLINGBOURNE continued their push for promotion after a thrilling win at Urchfont.

Having won six of their last seven, Collingbourne were full of confidence and, fielding first, made a breakthrough in the first over through Tom Pike.

Urchfont were 23-2 after six overs, but new boy Joe Dorgan and captain Patrick Bromley (59) shared a 130-run partnership to take them to 160 after 30.

Urchfont amassed an intimidating 269-8 from their 45 overs, Dorgan making a 144 and Collingbourne’s John Aitken recording season’s best figures of 4-67.

Collingbourne’s openers Jon and Graham Chandler put on a huge 191 for the first wicket before Graham (59) fell in the 33rd over leaving the duo just eight runs short of a new club opening partnership record.

Jon reached his century, but three quick wickets left them at 198-4 going into the last 10 overs.

Captain Geoff Rogers (17) and Jon Cummings (18*) assisted Chandler to see their side home with one ball to go.

Chandler finished unbeaten on 160 hitting a huge six to close out the match – the third-best individual score ever by a Collingboune batsmen.

Division 4

TEN-MAN Bradford 2nd were comfortably beaten by a strong Keevil.

Only the evergreen Graham Long with 43 stood in the way of Keevil as Rob Smith took 5-15 in 10.2 overs and Kelvin Lockwood 3-33 in 10 as Bradford crumbled to 96 all out inside 37 overs.

Despite using six different bowlers only Rufus Lakin & Fraser Tyler took a wicket each as Robert Robinson (44*) and Lockwood (17*) took Keevil to a comfortable victory with 24 overs left.

Division 7 MARSHFIELD 3rd’s Keith Pullin dominated the match against Winsley 3rd, hitting an unbeaten 132 in a total of 187 all out.

At 53-3 off 25 overs, Marshfield were struggling but, striking the ball with great power, Pullin savaged the later overs with nine sixes and 11 fours.

For Winsley, 15-year-old Ben Gailey took five late wickets.

In reply Jamie Neate (35) and Dan Thorne (38) made runs, but both were run out.

Mark Dixon (3-32) was the pick of Marshfield’s bowlers, as Winsley were all out for 119.

SEND IN YOUR WILTSHIRE LEAGUE REPORTS TO ohoulihan@newswilts.co.uk and FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS, REPORTS & PICTURES SEE FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @WTSport