Ickenham…141 Winchmore Hill…142-3 Middlesex County League Division Two.

Winchmore Hill moved up to third place in the table with a resounding win at The Paulin Ground on Saturday.

On a quick pitch in hot conditions, Winchmore were ordered to field by their struggling counterparts.

The home side were quickly into their bowling stride and had Ickenham in trouble from the outset.

Frank Griffith was the early thorn in the visitors' side, taking the scalps of both Ickenham's openers for 26 runs.

Although Tom Chadwick's 46 at number three steadied the ship, Winchmore's Damian Reece began to take apart Ickenham's batting order.

After claiming the wicket of Ickenham's number four Richard Crompton, Reece tore through the rest of the order, finishing with figures of 6-47 off 14 overs.

In reply, the hosts made short work of reaching their target, with opening batsman and captain Dave Bowen making 74 and Andy Varley 41.

Bowen said he was always confident of victory: "Damian Reece came on and went through their middle and late order quite quickly.

"It was an excellent performance. I think at home on that pitch, we are always confident of getting a win, especially as it was a lightning quick outfield."

Winchmore's seven-wicket win moved them to within sight of the leaders. Bowen added: "We are five points off the top side now, but I still think it is going to be really tight.

"It is all to play for and there will be five or six sides challenging for promotion, which makes for a good second half of the season."

Winchmore will be looking to keep up their recent good form when they travel to eighth-placed Hornsey on Saturday