A LEG injury to left arm spinner Tom Emm at a crucial stage proved a vital blow for Redlynch and Hale as they lost their County Division Two clash at Rowledge.

Reeling at 89-6 with the reliable Emm yet to bowl, he suffered a pulled leg muscle, forcing him to leave the field and take no further part in the game.

Rowledge made the most of this, as Emm is quite capable of putting a strangle hold on teams, and Joel Swan (68) and Mark Garnham (49*) added 106 for the seventh wicket to close the innings on 221-7.

This set a much trickier target than might have been expected earlier as Ben Brown (2-30) and Stan Boardman (2-38) made the initial inroads.

Then a further major setback hit the visitors when skipper Ian Tanner was given out caught at the wicket without scoring. Dave Webber (31) dug deep to give the innings some foundation and James Dorrington (13) and Glen Willoughby (19) batted cautiously without being able press on. This was largely thanks to 4-36 from Tim Wheatley and George Keeley (3-26).

Kev Hopkins desperately tried to force the play and keep the scoreboard advancing as he struck three sixes and seven fours in a gutsy 51, but the tail could not wag this time. With Emm unable to bat, the hosts ran out winners by 64 runs to leave the Wiltshire side with much to do in the second half of the season.

More disappointment struck Woodfalls Cross, where the seconds could only muster 96 all out, responding to Beaulieu's total of 165. Youngster Andrew Soutar was the pick of the home bowlers with 3-21 and then top scored with the bat with 31, but to no avail as no teammates stayed with him.

At Hatchet Green, Hale, the thirds made it three consecutive wins as they advanced to 184-7 against Winterslow 2nds. Rich Whitmarsh (66*) and Dom Sell (27) adding 72. The visitors stayed in the hunt thanks to Diaper (43) and P. Foreman (66) but wickets fell regularly, with Ben Lindsay capturing 5-33 to ensure victory.