LECHLADE extended their lead at the top of the WEPL Glos/Wilts Division to 10 points with a comprehensive six-wicket victory over Westbury on Saturday.

Relegation-threatened Westbury were blown away after winning the toss and choosing to bat, crumbling to 166 all out before Lechlade knocked off the required runs for the loss of just four wickets, steering further clear of second-placed Rockhampton in the process.

Having lost the toss, Lechlade found themselves toiling under the sun early on, as Westbury reached 99-1 after 16 overs thanks to an impressive innings by Rob Hislop. However, when Joe Breet dismissed Simon Rose for 28 the Westbury collapse started. Paul Godding picked up the first of his four wickets when he trapped Dan Gill lbw for 0 and, when he followed that up with the dismissal of Hislop (69) three overs later, Westbury were on the ropes at 118-4.

Godding, Breet and Asanka Vithanage all squeezed the Westbury middle and lower order, with Godding causing difficulties with his skiddy darts.

Lechlade capitalised on the scoreboard pressure, with Westbury losing their last six wickets for 48 runs. Godding finished with 4-24 off his 10 overs.

In reply, the visitors lost Brad Dial in the sixth over with the score on 14 but otherwise Lechlade never looked to be in any trouble. Breet replaced Dial and shared in partnerships with Freddie Martin (37) and Arran Dickinson (75) before being dismissed for 64. Dickinson and Oli Thornley added a further 22 before Dickinson’s (38) dismissal. Lechlade then coasted to victory, with Thornley and Godding seeing the away side home without further loss in the 44th over.

Lechlade captain Breet was very satisfied with his team’s performance, saying: “The game could have got away from us in the first innings at 99-1 but the bowling unit stayed on task and focused on the job at hand and were rewarded for all their hard work.

“Godders (Godding) stepped up to the mark and bowled well in the conditions. All in all I think we fully deserved our six-wicket win.”