BIDDESTONE 3rds claimed a well deserved and hard fought four wicket away win over Bradford 2nds in Division Four of the Wiltshire League.

Bradford were asked to bat first on a damp wicket and were put under pressure by a tight start from James Taylor and Chris Casey, with just 21 runs coming from the first 12 overs.

It was the change bowlers who made the breakthrough in the 17th over when Graham Long (23) was caught off the bowling of Ben McElhinney and Adrian Cooksey (17) bowled by Paul Walden.

This brought Tony Laws to the crease, who continued with the bat where he left off last week. As wickets fell around him Laws scored runs at a good rate eventually being caught off the bowling of Walden for a well made 50.

A late burst of runs from Matt Edmunds took Bradford to 145 for nine.

All the Biddestone bowls used the pitch well, but the pick of their bowlers was Walden who finished with figures of 10-1-44-4.

In reply, Biddestone also struggled in the conditions and lost Walden early, caught off the bowling of Gareth Moorhouse.

Last week's double centurion Chris Casey looked set to continue his fine form, hitting three sixes, before being adjudged lbw for 39 off the bowling of Laws.

Once Casey had been dismissed, Laws (4-33) cleaned up the middle order, as opener John McElhinney continued to battle on. McElhinney was finally dismissed for 46 in the 39th over, leaving Biddestone on 116 for five and the game finely poised.

Biddestone captain Kevin Mitchell then took the game away from Bradford with 21 not out from 13 balls, hitting the winning run off the first ball of the last over.