CHIPPENHAM skipper Oli Jones was pleased to end his side’s wait for a first win of the season in Premier Two Glos/Wilts as they inflicted a third defeat of the campaign on Gloucestershire side Hatherley & Reddings.

The visitors won the toss and put Hatherley into bat, yet were unable to make sizeable early inroads, Richard Boroughs (31) and George Hill (12) adding 41 for the second wicket.

However, led by the bowling of Denson Narayan, who took 4-13 in his nine overs, while Owen Alsop took 2-30, Chippenham cut through the middle order despite resistance from Andre Soma (22) and Nick Weekes (27).

Hatherley lost their final five wickets for 26 runs as they were dismissed for 147 in the 42nd over.

Jones led the reply with 43, Darryl Losper adding 23 as the away side reached their target for the loss of six wickets in 42 overs.

“It was a bit of a relief. In both of the first two games, we got so close and it was a bit disheartening to lose them,” said Jones.

“When we turned up, it was already wet, but about five minutes before the toss, the heavens opened and it rained really heavily for about half an hour.

“We were quite fortunate, though, as we only lost six overs per side, whereas most other games didn’t finish.

“We bowled really well, really tightly and didn’t really give them much chance to score.

“The strike bowlers, Stan and Owen Alsop and Lee Ward, did really well to soften them up and that allowed Denson to come on and take advantage and get the wickets.

“We were pretty comfortable in our run chase but then we made hard work of it a little bit.

“We were about 90-1 at one point but then we lost Darryl and Owen in quick succession and then I ran myself out.

“We went from about 90-1 to something like 100-5 but then the guys lower down the order were able to steady the ship and see us over the line, so it was a good result in the end.”

Biddestone suffered a disastrous batting collapse as they lost out by 93 runs at early pace-setters Cheltenham.

Having put their hosts in, Biddestone ended the home innings on 177 in the 45th over as Naeem Khan took 3-25 and there were two wickets each for Dwaine Perry and Andy Flynn, while Jeremy Duncan top scored for Cheltenham with 53 Skipper George Linde led the reply from number three, but his 24 garnered precious little support as the visitors lost seven wickets for 46 runs to slump to 84 all out in the 36th over.

There was no joy either for Burbage & Easton Royal, who went down by seven wickets at Rockhampton.

Put into bat, the visitors were given a fine start by Jonathan Chandler (42) and Duncan Lorrain (44), who shared an opening stand of 75.

But Deepak Joon’s 20 proved the only other highlight as wickets fell steadily to see them subside to 185-9 in their 50 overs.

Oliver Lavis (2-36) removed Tristan De Beer and Richard Howell cheaply but a fourth-wicket stand of 162 between opener Matt Tyler (63) and Will Tyler (88 not out) guided Rockhampton home for the loss of three wickets in the 47th over.

The match between Goatacre and Westbury was abandoned with the home side unable to bat after Westbury had reached 178-5, Brannon Varley with 46.