Swing bowling is the king for Bretforton (From Cotswold Journal)

Swing bowling is the king for Bretforton

12:40pm Sunday 19th August 2012 in Sport

SHIPSTON-on-Stour could not dent Bretforton’s Cotswold Hills League Premier Division title ambitions as the visitors won by 35 runs.

Bretforton elected to bat first but, in favourable conditions for swing bowling, the top order struggled against Dave Saker and Matt Corby.

Brett Woods (11) was caught behind by Jack Murphy off Saker and A Icke (14) went the same way off Phil Hall.

Tim Wilson (50) and Phil Davis (41) added 67 for the third wicket but, with 10 overs remaining, they had only reached 123-3.

Joe Cafaero added a quickfire 24 and Paul Jones, after being dropped first ball, punished the hosts with an undefeated 39 as Bretforton ended on 206-7. Saker took 3- 32 and Jon Hartley 2-38.

Fourth-placed Shipston’s reply started badly with Corby (0) lbw to Jack Dell, who then bowled Jack Murphy (10) in his fourth over.

Julian Morris (41) and Hartley (33) steadied the ship with 73 for the third wicket but both perished with the score on 87.

Saker (22), Hall (14) and Alex Welsby (12) made double- figure contributions but Dell (3-37) and his teammates did enough to earn Bretforton their victory.

Shipston seconds lost their Division Two relegation crunch clash by six wickets at Leek Wootton but remain two points away from the drop-zone.

They failed to gain a good start as the top five were removed with only 33 on the board against excellent bowling.

Veteran Roger Wickson (44) and youngster Paul Stubbs (43) put on 74 for the sixth wicket over 20 overs.

Steve Hedderman (34 not out) shepherded the tail in the closing overs as Shipston reached 169-9 from 45 overs.

Leek Wootton put on 43 for the first wicket before their batsmen regularly found the boundary, winning on 171-4 with three overs left.

The bottom three are now separated by just four points with three games to go.

• Leaders Badsey are close to securing promotion from Division Four after beating third-placed Cookhill by seven wickets.

Elliott Thompson took 5-32 as the visitors were dismissed for 130.

Stuart Berry scored 53 in their reply of 134-3 to win in the 34th over with Sam Thomson adding 25, Thompson 22 not out and Rob Andrew 24no.