BATH side Bear Flat took a potentially decisive step towards the Division One title as nearest rivals Corsham 2nd and Winsley both suffered defeats on Saturday.

While Flat secured a comfortable 128-run triumph over Nationwide House, Corsham found themselves upset by neighbours Box, while Winsley were on the wrong end of a five-wicket reverse at home to Malmesbury.

Ross Newman’s 41 in 193-8, while taking 4-21 as House were dismissed for just 65, paved the way for Bear Flat’s victory, while at Box, Jonny Pegler took 3-15 in six overs to help dismiss Corsham 2nd for just 114, Matt Unwin scoring 30.

Neil Pettit’s 60 and 55 from skipper Richard Foley wrapped up the win for the hosts inside 37 overs.

Winsley reached a competitive 221-7 off their 45 overs against Malmesbury, Jon Keepen with 56 and Alex Stansfield adding 58.

But led by 86 from number six Jack Ward, the visitors reaching their target in 41 overs.

Division Two THE long-awaited clash between the top two went leaders Potterne 2nd’s way against their Biddestone counterparts.

Potterne scored 270-9 in 45 overs, Jack Hurley with 68 and Chris Penhaligon 48, while James Howells took 4-24.

Milan Perera proved the thorn in Biddestone’s side, taking 6-31, while Ben Mason took 3-49 as, despite Aiden Andrews’ 80, the reply was stopped at 164 all out.

Warminster 2nd inflicted another defeat on Bradford on Avon as Dominic Webb took 5-19 in eight overs to help dismiss Bradford for just 76 in under 34 overs, Warminster reaching their target in under 16.

Division Three SWINDON United Churches had the better of a high-scoring clash at Goatacre 2nd to maintain the pressure on leaders Chippenham 2nd.

Electing to bat, Churches’ openers Daniel Hunt (111 off 117 balls) and Mark Defty (25 off 32) got the visitors off to a perfect start with a 50 partnership inside 12 overs and Ravi Dhayalan also got stuck into the bowling with 63 from 48 balls.

In-form Chris Gilchrist blasted 109 off 62 balls and shared a 186-run partnership in 20 overs with Hunt as Churches ended on 335-5.

Goatacre lost Stephen Baker for a duck to Alan Boivin in the first over of the reply and were 60-4 before Ben Miller (66), Imraj Heer (43) and Kyle Barnes (53) all made decent scores.

The return of Boivin to the attack sealed the win for Churches as he finished with 4-35, Goatacre finishing 42 runs short.

Chippenham 2nd were comprehensive winners of Wroughton Wranglers, Richard Bates scoring an unbeaten 42 of 75-1 after Wranglers had been dismissed for 72 in under 35 overs.

Division Four CHIPPENHAM also lead the way in this division, with the third team claiming a 92-run success over Combe Down.

Jack Humphreys’ 53 and 49 from Timothy Dunford helped the leaders to 199-5. Despite Andrew Hulbert’s 66 not out, 3-11 from Chris Hallett helped stop them Down on 107.

Nationwide House 2nd are second after Ravi Samant’s unbeaten 113 saw them past Corsham 3rd, who had made 185-7, Rob Shillaker scoring 58 and Lee Sheppard 50, Anthony Pettifer taking 4-53.

Division Five BIDDESTONE 3rd scored 177-6 against their Royal Wootton Bassett counterparts, Martin Hewitt with an unbeaten 47 but Bassett got home for the loss of five wickets, Yasir Irshad with 52 and Harpal Momi 44 not out.

Burbage & Easton Royal 2nd continued to set the pace, Charlie Green taking 3-28 to help dismiss Blunsdon for 125 before Gareth Rob hit 72 as the reply did the business inside 24 overs.

Jack Footner (3-19) and Daniel Carpenter (3-12) did the damage as Melksham dismissed Purton 2nd for just 84, Matthew Hunt’s unbeaten 50 guiding the reply home in 21 overs.

Second-placed Trowbridge were eight-wicket winners over Goatacre 3rd, Prabhu Vanniyar taking 4-36 in the Goats 101 all out before Ryan Salter and Dave Johnson (46 not out) took Trowbridge to their target for the loss of two wickets.

Division Six THE title is a two-horse race between the second teams of Marshfield and Devizes, the former defeating Burbage & Easton Royal 3rd by nine wickets.

Adam Tunmore made 63 of Burbage’s 179-7 but an unbeaten 104 from Andy Jenkins and 57 from George Pollitt sealed victory.

Devizes wrapped up a 10-wicket win at Beckington 2nd in an hour and 40 minutes, Tom Stoner taking 8-13 in 8.1 overs as the hosts finished on 56 all out.

Jacob Stoner then blasted 55 in 13 balls, including six fours and five sixes, to get his side home in double-quick time.

Division Seven WESTBURY 2nd lead the way after a thumping 213-run success over Corsham 4th, Kane Scott smashing 121 and Tom Lucas 120 in a third-wicket partnership of 205 as their side ended 346-5.

Flyn Day hit 48 in reply for Corsham, but they could only reach 133-7.

Ivor Rowell took a hat-trick in 4-13 as second-placed Great Bedwyn (185-7) were 27-run victors against Highworth (158 all out).

Division Eight SWINDON Nalgo took over the top from Trowbridge 3rd by virtue of their more comprehensive win over Chippenham 4th, who were dismissed for 97, Nalgo reaching their target inside 15 overs.

Trowbridge were also winners, reaching 174-9 against Marshfield 3rd before Bhaidas Masule’s 3-13 kept their opponents to 112-7.

Division Nine MARK Banham’s 62 helped Devizes 3rd to 151-8 and then took 3-13, but 15-year-old Tommy Gilbert hit 70 not out and 12-year-old George Lewis 25 as Goatacre 3rd clinched a six-wicket success.

James Call took 3-2 in 11 balls to help Winsley 3rd dismiss their Westbury counterparts for 106, Winsley reaching their target in the 35th over of the reply.