SNCL round-up: Syresham pounce on rivals' slip up to surge clear

Excellent bowling from Nathan Archer (3-25) and Nic Parry (2-24) set up their latest march to victory as they skittled out Byfield for 134, a total that never looked enough. In reply, Harry Brock hit a half century and Pete Stanley finished unbeaten on 21 to ensure his side reached the target six down.

Rivals for the title MK Air were beaten in a tight game at Woodford Halse, allowing Marston St Lawrence to move up to second following their 16-run win against Thornborough, for whom the all-round efforts of Ian Chapman (5-40 and 43) proved in vain.

Evenley claimed their first win of 2017 after opponents Charlton failed to raise a side.

There was also a walkover triumph for Division One leaders Willoughby, who sit 13 points clear of Bodicote and a further ahead of Silverstone.

Silverstone (67-2) clinched their second win of the season by beating Byfield A (64) by eight wickets after both David Williams and Sean Stokes took four wickets.

Darren Atkins scored 91 for Croughton in their 109-run defeat of Evenley while Greens Norton opened their account thanks largely to Matt Yuill whose superb 118 led them to victory at Castlethorpe.

The standout performance in Division Two came from Dean Craske as he took 7-23 in a losing cause as Syresham A failed miserably in their pursuit of 71 at leaders Hanslope, losing by 18 runs.

Towcestrians maintained the heat on the leaders with a 73-run success at home to Priors, and wins for Hinton in the Hedges and King’s Sutton ensured they sit in the top four.

In Division Three, there were wins for leaders Sibford plus Helmdon and Crown, who beat Willoughby by 60 runs after Sumit Ganju’s 89.

Finally, both Chipping Warden and Westbury maintained their perfect records in Division Four. Warden defeated Woodford Halse while Jamie Boardman (46) and Josh McCallum (3-18) helped Westbury end Thornborough A’s 100 per cent start to the year.

There was also a first win of the campaign for Winslow Town as Michael King took 5-26 in their five-wicket victory against Wardington.