PURTON lost by a single wicket for the third time this season to all but end their hopes of promotion from the Wiltshire Division.

Marshfield were Purton’s conquerors on this occasion, scrambling past their twice-revised target of 122 with three balls to spare as rain played a major part in proceedings at Broadleys.

Having won the toss and batted, Purton skipper Elliot Hill watched on as Elijah Samuel’s 53 anchored his side’s innings, which closed at 214 all out in the 48th over.

In reply, Marshfield had their target downgraded after rain just after 6pm and, despite a superb spell of bowling from Ed Holdaway, who ended with 3-13 from five overs, the hosts crept home.

Reflecting on the performance, Hill said: “Perhaps it was a little naive winning the toss and batting first with showers about, but I’d hoped it would stay away. Then a reduced target means the more overs you lose brings it back for whoever is batting second. We lost by a single wicket for the third time this year and if we’d won those games we’d be sitting top of the league.

“It’s slightly frustrating but it was a good game of cricket to be fair. Elijah batted well at the top of the order, there were bits and pieces throughout and 214 on a slow wicket getting slower and lower was a strong position to be in at half-time.

“Ed bowled a great spell to give us an outside chance of a win and it was a bit tense at times but they sneaked over. Fair play to Marshfield - they batted well. Credit to them and the umpires for getting the game on.

“We’ve come a long way this year. We’re probably going to finish second or third which is a great achievement, I don’t think you can take that away. Obviously we’d have loved to go up again but you just try to learn from it.

“We’ve been more consistent in the second half of the season now we’ve adapted to the league.”

A BRILLIANT bowling performance from Nationwide House helped crush Trowbridge in a rain-affected game in the Wiltshire Division.

Initially defending a target of 229 after contributions from Roger Pettifer (41), Luke Bradley-Leach (43 not out) and Joe Perkins (37 not out) helped House reach 228-7 batting first, the experienced works unit attack shot out Trowbridge for 126 in 33 overs, to keep the hosts well away from their revised target of 165 from 33 overs.

Perkins was the pick of the bowlers for bottom side Nationwide, returning figures of 3-16 from five overs, while Mark Morris and Steve Lewis both ended with two wickets apiece.

No Trowbridge batsman passed 25, though Wes Marshall, John Carroll, Mike Reynolds, and Luke Seymour all got starts. 

Jon Clarke and Darren Milne were the other Nationwide men to pick up wickets.