TWYNING are proving the most successful club so far this summer in the Cotswold Hills League, sponsored by Readers and John Shepherd Estate Agents.

The club's senior side retained third place in Division One after seeing off Tanworth by the comfortable margin of 124 runs.

The second string, meanwhile, top Division Five after registering a fifth straight win with Catherine De Barnes the latest victims after the hosts had rattled up a daunting 248-2.

Twyning's hopes of promotion to the top flight were given a helping hand when the top two met with Stratford recording a surprisingly easy 59-run defeat of Alcester and Ragley, whose normally reliable batting line up crashed to 105 all out.

Chasing a sixth successive win, the Alcester bowlers and fieldsmen allowed their hosts too much leeway on a tricky surface and, despite Shaun Quirke snapping up 5-22, a total of 163-8 proved plenty.

Subsided meekly

Stratford bowled accurately after tea to exploit the uneven bounce and Alcester's reply subsided meekly despite flashes of attacking inspiration from Quirke, Strain and Chadbourne.

Leaders Bards, meanwhile, made it six wins out of six on the back of Pete Daw-son's 142 in an easy win over Ashton.

It wasn't much better for the Ragley Park club's second team, who crashed to 103 all out in a rain-affected defeat in reply to Mickleton's declared total of 215-7.

Maskell was the home side's hero with a top score of 42 and four wickets for just six runs as only Lister (35) and R Reader (26) made any significant impression with the bat.

Kenilworth Wardens moved to the too of the table after an eight-wicket defeat of Eckington despite Warwick County Council's thrilling two-run victory over Rowington.

Wardens' second string also enjoyed a profitable afternoon when their eight-wicket romp against Eckington left them in joint top spot.

Elmley Castle's second team were celebrating after notching their first league win of the season at the expense of Ashton-under-Hill.

FISSC continued their winning start in Division Three, making it six on the trot after prising out a two-wicket win against Exhall and Wixford.

The latter's senior side fared far better as the reigning Premier Division champions recorded their third win as Wellesbourne were dismissed for 114 chasing 158 to win.

Broadway made most progress up the ladder after a four-wicket win at Kineton - the winners taking advantage of defeats for Wellesbourne, Elmley Castle and Overbury to move up to third.

The top two - Bidford and Shipston - are going to take some shifting. They both registered comfortable wins last Saturday with Steve Righton the Shipston hero.

The opening bowler's six-wicket haul as Earlswood lost for the sixth time contained his 300th league scalp after the London Road side had struggled to 209-8, mainly thanks to 88 from Julian Morris.

Bidford, meanwhile, did well to restrict Elmley Castle to 169-7 after third wicket pair Dave Wheatley and Mike Granacki had added 88 after openers Craig Sheward and Neil Cooper had gone for ducks.

Skipper Si Cooper hit a quickfire 27 to boost his side's score n a tricky pitch that also provided Bidford with early problems as they lost Wilson and Nason early on.

Castle's bowlers then lost control in more ways than one as 30 wides were sent down leaving Tim Evans to hit an undefeated 66 and Neil Betteridge (30) as they reached their target for the loss of just four wickets.