DERBY victory tasted all the sweeter for Burbage & Easton Royal as they bounced back from their defeat to Biddestone last week by thumping league leaders Chippenham on Saturday.

Tom Wallbridge’s side may have lost to Biddestone by 37 runs, but last weekend they romped to victory over their table-topping near neighbours at the Red Lion Field, tearing through Chippenham in decisive fashion with the ball.

Burbage captain Wallbridge was pleased to see his team get back to winning ways and reckons that their victory demonstrates the unpredictable nature of the Glos/Wilts Division.

“There are 35 points covering the top eight in the league, so anything could still happen and it just shows that it’s a funny league,” said Wallbridge.

“You have to turn up and produce your best against every side because if you go into a game at 70 per cent, that won’t be enough.

“It was a great result for us on the weekend and we were really happy to bounce back after the loss against Biddestone last week – it was the manner of that defeat that was really disappointing.

“The game wasn’t really affected by any rain but we had to weather the storm – a metaphorical one – early on.

“David Cope batted well and Sam Tuttle, who’s just 16-years-old, batted a really mature innings. We thought 189 might have been a little bit short against a team top of the league.

“Ollie Lavis came into the team from the seconds and opened the bowling really well. The bowling performance was faultless.”

David Cope (80) and Sam Tuttle (35) helped Burbage reach 189-9, with Chippenham skipper Lee Ward taking 3-29, and the hosts then put the league leaders to the sword.

Wallbridge then starred with fine figures of 6-29 as Chippenham were dismissed for just 69 early in the 23rd over, but they remain top of the pile following Rockhampton’s 90-run defeat to Biddestone.

Dominic Hendricks (76*), Dwaine Perry (37) and Chris Baker (32) fired Andy Flynn’s men to 236-7 before they saw off their title-chasing opponents.

Naeem Khan, Perry and Flynn all took a pair of wickets each as Rockhampton were skittled for 146.