DESPITE a fine bowling effort Redlynch and Hale were unable to prevent County Division 2 leaders Bishops Waltham from winning a seventh successive game by 42 runs.

Winning the toss at Woodfalls Cross, the Hampshire side elected to take first knock. Dave Webber struck an early blow, but Harry Mcghee (57) and Mark Boriani (31) ensured the innings was well under way. Cameos from Gareth Lovett (22) and Sam Medhurst (23) pushed things along, but by then, left arm spinner Tom Emm was into his groove accounting for both the latter and Mcghee.

In the flurry at the end Emm mopped up, finishing with 5-12 as Waltham closed on what looked like a gettable 182.

However, it was not to be the hosts’ day as a very competitive attack saw Dan Wheeler quickly among the wickets.

Although Webber was out of the traps quickly, he was castled for 23 as colleagues came and went. Only Kev Hopkins, with a fighting 30 looked as though he might turn things around, but the visitors had other ideas. Wheeler finished with 4-30 and Suhaib Ahmed 3-28 to register another win for the leaders by 48 runs.

n There were runs aplenty at Nomansland in Regional Div 2 (West) where the club's 2nd string racked up an impressive 304-7. There was a maiden half century for youngster Ewan Tanner (54), a fluent 72 from skipper Iain Soutar and a gutsy 46 not out from Jack Coburn.

The hosts set about the target valiantly, with Sam Dempster cracking 70 and Gary Loveless just 6 runs short of a century when bowled by Andy Soutar (2-54). I Loveless (33) continued to challenge but the overs ran out with ‘Land on a creditable 263-6.

And at Hatchett Green, Hale, the 3rd XI notched a welcome win over Cadman III in Regional Div 4 (SW) posting 171-8. They bowled out their visitors for 155 in an exciting finish.