LECHLADE completed the first half of the WEPL Glos/Wilts programme with their sixth win of the season, as Warminster were beaten by five wickets on Saturday.

The Manor Ground side’s victory was very much owed to a captain’s innings from Joe Breet, who scored an unbeaten 86 off 102 balls when Lechlade looked to be in danger of a batting collapse with the score on 87-5 in reply to Warminster’s 158 all out. Breet’s innings included 11 boundaries and one maximum.

The game had been reduced to 38 overs following a delayed start, with umpires Bob Owen and Avindash Waphray happy to be patient and persevering as the weather came and went during the afternoon.

Warminster won the toss, batted first and looked to be in some considerable trouble at 25-3, as Luke Sellers and Michael Craigs both took wickets in their opening spells.

The visitors showed some resistance through Tom Weaver (37) but, once Will Nichols removed the opener, two more wickets quickly followed and Warminster found themselves seven down with only 93 on the board. The tail then wagged, with an eighth-wicket partnership of 63, before Nichols made the final breakthrough, picking up three wickets last in his last over to finish with 6-21 from seven.

In reply, Lechlade got off to a disastrous start and Breet found himself coming to the wicket with the score on 3-2 after only 19 balls of the hosts’ innings, after openers Sam Burdock (1) and Nichols (0) were both sent back to the pavilion very quickly.

Breet, first with Brad Dial (15) and then Arran Dickinson (12), wrestled the initiative back from the visitors and Lechlade seemed to be cruising to victory at the drinks break with the score on 87-3.

Lechlade then wobbled again, however, with Dickinson being dismissed by the second ball after drinks and, with Paul Godding following eight balls later without scoring, Lechlade looked to be in some danger at 87-5. Breet dug deep and, with the aid of Oli Thornley who scored an unbeaten 38 off 68 balls which include two impressive sixes, the pair saw the riverside team home to victory with nine balls to spare.

The win keeps Lechlade in second place in the table and five points behind current league leaders Rockhampton.