WARMINSTER’S lengthy stay at the top of the WEPL Wiltshire table came to an end on Saturday as their winless run stretched to a fifth week with defeat at home to Devizes.

Peter Hickerton’s side looked set to be crowned runaway champions in 2018 after starting the season with 11 successive victories.

However, they are now without a win since mid-July, with their latest stumble coming on home turf after Devizes inflicted a heavy six-wicket defeat.

The loss was Warminster’s third of the season, with the team also seeing two matches abandoned due to the wet weather in this barren spell.

Having set the pace for so long, Hickerton’s troops have now been overhauled by Chippenham at the summit, with them moving one point clear at the top despite their own defeat at home to third-placed Marshfield.

Warminster were undone by a poor batting performance against Devizes as they were skittled for just 94 inside 35 overs.

Tim Saye ripped through the home batting line-up by taking fine figures of 5-16, with extras posting the joint top score for Warminster on 18.

John Powell did his best to give the home side an outside chance of victory in the second innings by removing three of the Devizes top order, but the damage was already done and Tom Grant’s troops needed less than 24 overs to reach a winning 97-4.

With the top three teams separated by only eight points, the title race is set to go down to the wire and Warminster will hope to give themselves a shot in the arm when they travel to Corsham 2nd for their penultimate fixture of the season this weekend.