THE race for the Wiltshire League Division One title remains tightly poised as Avebury hold a one-point lead over Great Bedwyn following the latest round of fixtures.

Leaders Avebury were six-wicket winners at home to Nationwide House, while Bedwyn went one better by beating visitors Marlborough by seven wickets.

Brilliant bowling set up Avebury for their latest win as Parag Khanpurkar (5-23) and Sam Underhill (4-24) dismissed House for just 106.

Avebury eased home inside 17 overs as Khanpurkar (53) led them to 109-4.

Bedwyn had a bigger run chase on their hands as Marlborough set a total of 204-7 courtesy of good knocks from Nick Crabbe (73) and Peter Day (69).

The reply was relatively straightforward, though, as Robert Palmer (84no) and Nick Davies (79) guides Bedwyn to a winning 205-3 with more than eight overs to spare.

At the other end of the table, bottom side Swindon 2nd drew level on points with Nationwide immediately above them despite a 67-run loss at home to Corsham 2nd.

Ed Vickery hit 51 as Corsham posted 214-9 before Ned Jones took 4-27 as Swindon were bowled out for 147 in reply. Oliver Whitely top scored with 63.

Malmesbury are only one point above the bottom two following 59-run defeat to Chippenham 2nd.

Josh Smith scored 106 as Chippenham set a total of 214-6 before the visitors bowled Malmesbury out for 155 in reply despite the best efforts of Antony Brown (60).

Finally, fine unbeaten knocks from Charles Kunje and Rory Kelly led Beckington to a six-wicket win at home to Winsley.

Luke Walker (59) and Josh Lewis (57no) helped Winsley post 219-6 but a wonderful unbroken stand between Kunje (96no) and Kelly (73no) saw Beckington reach a winning 223-4 win eight balls to spare.

Division Two

SWINDON NALGO climbed to the top of the table following a 26-run win at home to Biddestone 2nd.

NALGO posted 263-7 thanks to the efforts of Muhammad Zahid Abbasi (93) and Wahab Khalid (87).

Matt Unwin (70) and Aled Evans (52) led a spirited Biddestone run chase but they were still short on 237-9 at the end of their 45 overs.

NALGO’s rise was as a result of a 102-run defeat for previous leaders Goatacre 2nd at home to Burbage & Easton Royal 2nd, who have also climbed above the Goats.

Burbage posted a first-innings total of 219 before Crofton Keyes took staggering figures of 5-2 to run through the Goats’ batting order and dismiss them for 117 inside 18 overs despite Ewen Kenny hitting 55.

Division Three

BRADFORD on Avon won a low-scoring game at White Horse by three wickets.

White Horse could only hit 131 batting first and although Peter Dobell then took 4-30 when they got their hands on the ball, Bradford edged their way to a winning 133-7 inside 39 overs.

Edward Read and Justin Wagstaff took four wickets each as Heytesbury & Sutton Veny claimed a 10-run win at home to Lacock.

Wagstaff had earlier hit 78 in Heytesbury’s 219 before combining with Read to curtail the Lacock reply for 209.

Division Four

IT WAS a tough afternoon for Melksham as they were thrashed by 148 runs at Wanborough, for whom David Novias took five wickets.

Wanborough posted 208-4 as John Baldwin hit 79 before Novias (5-18) and Jervis Noronha (4-13) skittled Melksham for 60 after tea.

Division Six

BLUNSDON’S run chase came up just short as they went down by 17 runs on their trip to Winsley 2nd.

Matty Garrod hit an excellent unbeaten 85 as Winsley scored a first-innings total of 217.

Although Shaun Dodson led a spirited Blunsdon reply with 56 after tea, the visitors were bowled out for 200 in the final over.