WILTSHIRE CRICKET LEAGUE: Wait goes on for Box (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

WILTSHIRE CRICKET LEAGUE: Wait goes on for Box

12:00pm Wednesday 13th June 2012 in Wiltshire Sport

BOX'S hunt for a first win in the top flight goes on after their fourth defeat of the season – a seven-wicket reverse against Purton.

Put in, Box struggled to 30-3 as Imran Ashraf (2-21) did early damage.

Despite 17 from Chris Bultitude, the Box wickets continued to fall, with Karl Marillier (6-35) at the centre of the action.

The innings closed at 116 all out, with extras (18) accounting for the highest score for the second week running .

Purton’s began shakily as Duffell (2) was trapped leg before by Jon Peglar (1-32).

Deepak Ramani (17) and Elliot Hill’s (13) useful partnership was split by Gerald Hayward (2-35), who removed them both to leave Purton at 38-3.

However, the in-form Marillier (53no) and Mark Gardner (22no) punished poor fielding as they passed the Box total with six overs to spare.

Bradford Town cruised to an eight-wicket success over bottom side Westinghouse as batsmen Tony Burrows and Nick Gerrish saw them home.

Put in, Westinghouse started solidly and their opening pair of Steve Ferris (32) and Paul Bailey (19) put on 59 for the first wicket when Bailey was smartly run out by good fielding from Khyl Harrington and keeper Ian Pinchen.

At the 25 over mark Westinghouse lost Ferris caught in the deep by Mishak Belfon off the bowling of Dean Bird (1-37).

Westinghouse were 76-2 but from Bird and Belfon restricted them and wicket started to fall.

Chief destroyer was Belfon (4-13 from seven overs, while Tony Laws took punishment but finished with 3-57 as Jon Cleverly (25) and Paul Burtenshaw (24no) helped Westinghouse to 151 all out in the 41st over.

Bradford’s chase started slowly and skipper James Edwards and Matt Harrington both fell early on.

But the in-form Gerrish joined Burrows and the pair put on 120 runs in 20 overs to see out victory, Burrows scoring an excellent 49 not out from 114 balls and Gerrish 67 not out from just 63 balls.

Division 3

BEANACRE & Melksham 2nd survived a late collapse to claim a one-wicket triumph over Lambourn.

Lambourn were indebted to Steve Annetts 45 and 37 from M Crone as they reached 134 all out, seven wickets falling for 30 runs in nine overs, as Matt Hunt finished with 4-35 and Tom Watling 3-26.

Beanacre’s chase was put in jeopardy by the accurate bowling of the danagerous Paul Annetts, who returned figures of 3-7 from his 12 overs bowled straight through.

The home side were struggling on 46-3 at the end of the 23rd over, but a fifth-wicket partnership of 78 between Matt Hunt (40) and Rich Hemmings (43) saw the home side to the brink of victory before Hemmings departed.

Still the hosts made it difficult for themselves. losing four wickets for four runs in just three overs before kipper Tom Watling and youngster Jack Footner saw them home.

Division 4

OLLIE Hares and Rob Barnes produced devastating bowling performances to set up Heytesbury & Sutton Veny’s victory over Chippenham 3rd.

Hares took 5-15 and Barnes 4-23 as Chippenham were dismissed for just 44. Heytesbury knocked off the runs for the loss of just one wicket.

Division 5

GARETH Unwin turned in a match-winning performance as Biddestone successfully defended their meagre 107 to record a four-run success over Purton 2nd.

Unwin hit 48 in his side’s total as Neil Tunnicliffe took 6-31 for Purton.

Purton’s reply fell short as Unwin took 5-13 in under 11 overs as Neil Little also hit 48.

Division 7

HEYTESBURY 2nd’s captain Rob Robson hit his first century for 10 years in a convincing victory over Winsley 3rd.

Coming in at 82-6, Robson hit eight towering sixes to lift his team to a total of 226.

In reply, an experienced Winsley top order disintegrated against youngsters Simon Papworth (3-9) and Rob Jones (3-11). Oli Stacey hit 29 as Winsley were all out for 76.

Division 8

RYAN Williams hit 42 and Eddie Jenkinson 33 in Goatacre 4th’s 177 all out against Lacock 2nd.

The reply came up 52 runs short as Alan Griffin took 5-54 and Dan Smart 2-17.

WILTSHIRE LEAGUE REPORTS, STATS & PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES