PREMIER Division leaders Bidford lost for the first time this summer but they still retain top spot as the Cotswold Hills League, sponsored by Readers and John Shepherd, seems set for an exciting season.

It was reigning champions Exhall and Wixford who ended Bidford's undefeated start as they successfully overhauled a total of 160-8 with three wickets to spare.

Shipston found three more runs enough to get the better of Welles-bourne to leapfrog their visitors, while Elmley Castle moved up to third on the strength of a 73-run win at Kineton.

Alcester and Ragley and Stratford Bards both boost unblemished records in Division One after comfortable run chases.

The former faced last year's top flight rivals Ashton and they were indebted to an unbeaten 71 from Shaun Quirke.

Mark Bennett had earlier taken 5-29 as Ashton slipped to 153-9 after Archer and Cooper had scored 62 for the opening wicket.

Alcester lost two cheap wickets but Gary Strain (32) and Mark Woolley proved able allies for the experienced Quirke in a five-wicket triumph.

Bards successfully chased Claver-don's 149 on a day when Shipston and Tanworth also enjoyed profitable run chases.

The latter inflicted more misery on Badsey, who could only post 125-8 on a damp wicket - a score boosted by a stand of 41 between Hardwick and Pearse.

Tanworth, too, found runs hard to come by but Bird and Prosser set the winning platform with a third wicket stand of 62.

Osborne removed both in a ten-over spell of 3-25 but the hosts stuck to the task to win by five wickets with 12 balls to spare.

Winchcombe and Henley have both won five out of five in the Second Division, a feat matched by Division Three pacesetters FISSC.

Warwick County Council top the fourth division but Alcester and Ragley showed their calibre with a two-wicket win against Rowington.

They slumped to 12-3 in reply to Rowington's 137-8 but Stanley (35) and Coombs (23) turned the game in Alcester's favour and they hit the winning runs with just two wickets to spare.

Twyning were the day's easiest winners after skittling Hockley Heath for 48 as the winners moved into second place behind Kenilworth Wardens, victims of Stratford's decision to resign from the league.

Eckington are in close pursuit of the top pair despite only managing a score of 114-7 against Catherine de Barnes.

An unpredictable wicket made life tricky for the batsmen as Jones conceded just nine runs in a miserly ten-over start.

It was a similar tale of woe with the bat after tea as Gardner, Barrett, Griffin and Crowley all played their part as the chasers were shot out for just 86.

Eckington entertain Wardens on Saturday in a section in which the top trio have opened up a big gap.