WOOTTON Bassett dropped to second in Division One despite a 77-run victory over Lacock.

Urchfont’s eight-wicket win over Nationwide House gave them two more points than Darren Beasant’s side and took them to the league’s summit.

Sam Lawro top-scored with 56, while Jack Paish contributed 52 as Bassett were dismissed for 229.

In reply, Lacock could only manage 152 as Ian Lancaster tore through their batting order, picking up six wickets.

Events at Nationwide Pavilion meant that despite Bassett’s victory, Urchfont went ahead of them in the table.

Luke Bradley-Leach top-scored for House with an unbeaten 41, as they were bowled out for 100.

Morlon Simon did the damage for Urchfont, taking six wickets in his 12 overs.

The visitors made short work of the low target as Ed Munro took the House bowlers to task. He notched 33 of the required runs before losing his wicket as Urchfont reached their target in 23 overs, securing their victory with a six.

Beanacre and Melksham fell to a five-wicket defeat at Beckington.

Having been asked to bat on a damp wicket, the visitors, after losing a couple of early wickets, saw Steve Rendell and AJ Hobbs (13) repair the early damage before the latter fell.

Rendell (29) and Dean Wallington attacked the hosts’ bowling but their fifth-wicket stand of 46 was ended when the former played on.

Wallington’s aggressive innings was brought to an end as he was dismissed by a fine catch on 73, while Gary Ings (16*) and Rich Bryant (11*) saw the visitors to 182-9 at the close of their innings.

With the wicket drying, Beckington wasted little time in attacking the Beanacre bowlers, but in the fifth over, a sharp stumping from Bryant sent Carl Harfield back to hutch with the score on 31.

The hosts maintained their run-rate and a sixth-wicket stand from Ellis Strand (46*) and Daniel Gulliford (35*) saw them home with nine overs to spare.

Division 2

Swindon United Churches fell to two defeats over the weekend.

On the Saturday at Collingbourne, a fine innings of 135 from Paul Gittens, as well as a half-century from Archie Scott, helped the hosts to 245 all out, with Churches’ skipper Richard Martin the pick of the attack with 6-58.

Despite rejigging their batting order, Churches limped to 33-3 before being dismissed for 129.

Chris Gilchrist top-scored with 30, while Jimmy Mann (17), Keith Coatsworth (13), Matt Runkel (16) and Richard Martin (10) were the only other batsmen to make it into double-figures. Archie Scott (4-19) and Ryan Fraser (3-17) did the damage for Collingbourne.

At Swindon Nalgo the following day, Churches were again on the wrong end of the result, despite Chris Spackman (6-58) and Martin (2-23) reducing the hosts to 31-3 after eight overs.

However, Mudasser Rafiq (64) and Imran Dastagir (50) counter-attacked though, moving the score on to 119 before Danny Hunt removed Dastagir.

After Rafiq was run out from Ravi Dhayalan, Nalgo slumped to 180 all out.

But just like their hosts, Churches struggled as they fell to 19-3.

Hunt (25) and Liam Brooks (46) set about repairing the damage with a dogged partnership of 56 from 15.2 overs. When the fourth wicket fell with the score on 75, Churches still had an outside chance of victory, but the accurate Khan tipped the balance Nalgo’s way with 3-27 from eight overs.

Brooks in particular batted nicely but he received little support as the last four wickets fell for just two runs to leave the visitors 119 all out.

Division Three

Mike Spong hit his first century of the season as Beehive claimed a 51-run success over Corsham and increased their lead at the top of the table.

But their decision to bat first looked a wrong one as Chris Warren fell in the third over and Neil Harber (27) and Spong moved the score on to 57 before Harber departed.

Despite being pegged back, Spong (104) and James Hall got the scoreboard moving again.

After reaching his 50, Spong then hit the accelerator and brought up his maiden ton at the Southwick Oval with a cover drive to the boundary before falling to Ben De Costa (3-45).

Hall provided the perfect foil to Spong as he patiently made his way to 57 before he was dismissed by Callum Sandell as the hosts closed on 242-6.

After the break, Steve Taylor made the early breakthrough for Beehive as he removed Sandell for six, however, the dangerous Rob Shillaker started to cut loose.

James Taylor picked up the wickets of Thomas Hyde and Da Costa before the visiting captain went to reach his half-century.

Shillaker, who had been given two slices of luck with edges falling short of the slip cordon, was bowled by Grant Savides for 73.

Taylor went on to complete his five-wicket haul with the dismissal of Joe Shillaker, and while George Freeman struck an unbeaten 53, Corsham could only muster 191-8 from their overs.

Division 6

Beehive seconds returned from their Urchfont counterparts following a 43-run defeat.

Despite an early breakthrough, P Wood (48), M Wood (20) and W Long (40) saw Urchfont pick up some momentum until Ben Clift was brought into the attack as he claimed figures of 4-29, while Rich Hudd chipped in with 3-18 as the hosts were dismissed for 139.

Beehive, despite losing Ben Clift (1), reached 54 when Ash Rendell (25) was dismissed. This sparked a collapse by the visitors as they slumped to 64-6.

A partnership of 24 between captain Ady Day (13) and Hudd (10) gave Beehive hope, however, Day and Hudd fell one over apart and were all out for 96 from 30 overs.