ALL talk of a one-man show was dismissed after Paul Jones had blasted Bretforton to the brink of the Cotswold Hills League crown, writes Mervyn Collins.

"Every one says that we are a one-man team but that's just not the case," the big hitting all-rounder declared.

"Stuart Berry has made a huge impact this season, Alex Evans has bowled really well and stumper Andrew Stanley has picked up around 40 victims.

"Add to that Jackson Long's efforts with the bat including his patient knock last Saturday and it just shows that we have all-round strength."

Exhall and Wixford were the latest team to come up against Jones's ferocious hitting but the reigning champions, and only side capable of overhauling the Station Road side at the top of the Premier Division, were left to regret an early opportunity to remove Jones.

However, Scott Carmichael missed a stumping chance off Andy Marsh before Jones had got off the mark and hoe he made them pay!

Twenty overs later the scoreboard had moved from 60-3 to 237-3 as Jones and Long combined in stupendous style. The former blasted an incredible 13 6s in his unbeaten 124 made off just 68 balls, while Long remained undefeated with 53 to his name.

Jones (5-23) and Evans (4-20) then grabbed nine wickets between them as Exhall were dismissed for 101 to leave Bretforton, promoted from Division One last year, a massive 50 points clear of their shellshocked victims ahead of Saturday's home date with Overbury.

The latter felt the force of Shipston's batting power with an unbeaten 129 from Julian Morris helping the hosts amass a daunting 301-2.

Matthew Corby (83no) helped the opener add 158 in 15 overs and Overbury's reply was 80 runs short of a run rate win when the match was abandoned after 29 overs.

Fladbury made certain of the fourth division championship after an eight-wickets in at basement side Hockley Heath left them 51 points clear of Ashorne.

Kineton's five-wicket win at Overbury guaranteed the Division Two spoils but Elmley Castle's promotion hopes were dealt a blow after coming off second best in a rain-affected clash at Long Itchington.

A trio of teams are chasing the two promotion spots in Division One with Wellesbourne and Ashton currently occupying the top two slots.

Wellesbourne were seven-wicket winners at Bidford, while their closest rivals recorded the same margin of victory against Ebrington.

Alcester and Ragley's eight-wicket rain-affected defeat of Catherine-de-Barnes saw the two sides swap places and the winners hoping the leading pair slip up in the final two matches.

Woodbourne took over at the Division Three summit after Stanway slipped to a five-wicket defeat at Bearley.

The new leaders easily overcame fellow promotion rivals Shipston, while fourth-placed Temple Grafton recorded a massive 227-run success over Wellesbourne who were skittled for 47 in reply to the home side's 274-4.

Blockley and Cookhill appear almost certain to replicate last season's promotion after easy wins over Dorridge and Tanworth respectively with the latter's promotion hopes severely dented after losing to Cookhill by nine wickets.

Bretforton will be hoping for a championship double despite losing the leadership of Division Six to Alvechurch whose 12-point abandonment last Saturday lifted them nine points clear of the inactive former leaders.

The previous Saturday, teenagers Phil Davis and Bruce Ford had both scored their maiden senior centuries while sharing a fabulous stand of 248 in their side's victory over Claverdon.