WOOTTON Bassett have been caught at the summit of the Division One table following a 31-run defeat at Hinton Charterhouse.

The result, coupled with a five-wicket win for Urchfont at home to Beckington, sees the two sides level on points at the top of the standings.

Bassett were always up against it at Charterhouse as they were punished by some brutal home batting led by a superb century by former captain Tim Simmons, who batted throughout the 45 overs for an unbeaten 129.

Having initially blunted the pace of Neilon Joseph in company with Dave Bowden (33), Simmons took the score to 150-1 after 30 overs with Peter Borton, who made a run-a-ball 36.

This gave the hosts the chance to pile on 131 runs in the remaining 15 overs, Chris Antrobus contributing a rapid unbeaten 49 off 29 deliveries, to help his side post 281-3.

A lightning outfield and the usual superb batting surface gave Bassett hope, but with Borton removing both openers, the visitors were well behind the rate at 76-4.

Joseph joined Charan Chalal (55) in taking the score to 127, before Liam Taylor (3-72) and the return of Borton (3-49) reduced them to 183-8.

When last man Ian Lancaster joined Asanka Vithanage, 78 more were needed, but with the pair smashing the ball to all parts, panic was setting in among the fielding side, until James Jacob showed a cool head to trap Lancaster caught and bowled for 21.

Vithanage was left unbeaten on 34 as Bassett ended 31 runs short.

Urchfont’s five-wicket win at home to Beckington has seen them match Bassett on 269 points.

Morlon Simon took 5-35 as Beckington were restricted to 195, with 72 from Henry Cheal leading the way.

David Bromley hit 71 in reply as Urchfont reached their target in the 40th over, Joe Weare took 4-44 for Beckington.

Nationwide House picked up a win on the road as they triumphed by 80 runs away at Beanacre & Melksham.

The visitors had no hesitation in batting first on a hot day and were soon punishing any wayward bowling. However, they also lost quick wickets, leaving the game evenly placed at 68-3 off 15 overs.

It was the fourth-wicket partnership between N Clarke and Leach that turned the game in House’s favour. They began patiently but gradually took complete control as their partnership reached 133 off 25 overs before Clarke departed for 74.

The platform had been set as the new batsmen were given freedom to play their shots as the runs mounted. Leach was last man to fall for 74 as the innings closed on 265-8 The pick of the home bowlers was Gary Ings with 4-58 and he was supported by Scott Cameron, who took three catches.

Beanacre’s innings got off to a strong start as Joe Veacock went after the bowling and the opening partnership had reached 54 when Skippings departed.

The hosts’ problem was that no batsmen could stay long enough with Veacock to keep up with the run-rate.

Veacock, on the other hand, kept smashing the ball to the boundary and the 19-year-old reached a well deserved first league century, finally departing for 110 but it was not enough for his side as they were finally all out for a disappointing 185 in the 44th over.

Perkins was the pick of the Nationwide bowlers with 4-34.

A brilliant Swindon Civil Service bowling display saw them to an emphatic six-wicket victory at Bradford on Avon.

Scott McNeil (3-9) and Mark Thatcher (3-20) skittled Bradford out for a meagre 79, while an unbeaten 35 from Tahir Hanif saw Civil Service reach their target in the 23rd over of the reply.

That was despite some heroic bowling for Kit Chapman, who took 4-22 for Bradford.

Division 3

BEEHIVE Southwick put some distance between themselves and second-placed Wootton Bassett 2nd at the top of the table with an eight wicket win on the road.

Bassett won the toss and elected to bat on what looked like a very good track and the tone was set from the first ball as J Smith hit straight to the safe hands of Gary Collins at point off Jayke Hudd.

In six crazy overs the strongest batting team in the league found themselves 7-5 from as Hudd removed M Vincent, B Mattick and M Dymore all for ducks, while Steve Taylor (3-23) removed L Tyrie as Ivan Mahany took a neat catch behind the stumps.

A 68-run partnership between R Vincent (36) and P Huckin (31) saw Bassett eventually post 108 all out as Hudd finished with 5-17.

Bassett tried to make a game of it after tea and picked up two early wickets in a fine spell from M Drymore but Mike Spong showed his class to scored 64 not out and get Beehive over the line.

Biddestone 3rd’s poor season continued with a 138-run defeat at Seagry.

Josh Hugo made 113 as Seagry scored 291-3, with Biddestone only able to make 153 in reply as Chris Meggs top scored with 32, assisted by Ed Carver (29) and Alex Bates (26).

Paul Lewis claimed 4-38 for Seagry, while Mike Hunt chipped in with 3-32.

Division 6

BEEHIVE were 73-run winners when they hosted local rivals Warminster 3rd at the Southwick Oval.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat, with the innings kicking off with a 70-run partnership between Nigel Reeves and Ben Clift (25).

Captain Adrian Day came in and put on another 52 runs with Reeves before he was bowled by Anderson for 31.

Reeves continued to show his class by scoring runs freely on his way to another brilliant century and building partnerships with the other batsmen.

Hulbert (27) supported well before Reeves departed on 108, caught off the bowling of M Wood (2-18), as Beehive posted 242-7.

After tea, Beehive took to the field knowing a fast start was needed and they did not take long to make the breakthrough as Dan Thomas took a wicket with his fourth delivery by removing S Farhaz.

Thomas (2-26) and Dennison (3-19) did the early damage and although S Milik posted 75, Disher (2-9) and Lapham (2-4) wrapped up the Warminster innings for 169.

Division 7

BIDDESTONE 4th romped to a landslide 143-run win over Bathford 2nd.

A Oliver (45), Harry Roberts (43) and Mike Tasker (41) all chipped in as Biddestone posted 198-9, while Bathford’s A Garett took 4-50.

In reply, Laura Smith claimed 3-18 as Bathford were all out for just 55.