Cotswold Hills League

IT has been a long time in coming but Alcester & Ragley finally claimed their first victory of the season on Saturday.

The Premier Division side had gone 15 weeks without a win but that changed when they edged out visitors Twyning by three wickets.

But it was a close call, the Ragley side taking the honours with just three balls to spare.

Home skipper Ben Lee won the toss and put the visitors in to bat - a move that looked costly when they scored 134 for the opening wicket.

Tom Morris (4-55) then struck and, at the end of their overs, Twyning had notched up 244-4.

In reply, Ragley lost a wicket in the second over but Gary Strain (57) and Mark Fawthorp (42) set off in pursuit of their target.

Paul Dipple scored an important 44 but with four overs to go, the home side still needed 44 for victory.

But skipper Lee proved his side's match-winner, steering them home with an unbeaten 37 including a thumping 23 off one over.

At the other end of the Premier Division, Exhall & Wixford cruised to the title with an emphatic seven-wicket win at Earlswood.

The home side were all out for 40 allowing Simon Hollands' side to claim the points for the loss of just three wickets.

Cookhill booked their promotion from Division Six despite losing at Welford, only their second defeat of the season.

They can secure the title this weekend when they play host to nearest challengers Blockley.

Elsewhere, Temple Grafton took another step towards the Division Four title following their nine-wicket defeat of Stratford Bards while Great Alne's Division Three match with Bearley ended in a tie, both sides scoring 168.