BIDFORD and Shipston made it three straight wins to set the early pace in the Premier Division of the Cotswold Hills League, sponsored by Readers and John Shepherd.

Rain-affected wickets produced an afternoon of low scoring encounters and both home sides can't have been too happy with their teatime positions.

Shipston were skittled for 128 against Bretforton, while Bidford could only muster 120-7 in their 45 overs against Kineton.

However, the bowlers got to work and the pair achieved comfortable wins to keep ahead of Overbury, Wellesbourne and Broadway.

The latter pair locked horns and it was Broadway who picked up 18 points and a second win of the season by three wickets after an exciting finish.

Overbury easily defeated Elmley Castle, while Exhall and Wixford made welcome progress up the table after inflicting a third defeat of Earlswood by 55 runs.

Stratford Bards are the only side to win all three starts in Division One and they were also indebted to their bowlers after they were shot out for just 70.

Visitors Twyning, though, fared far worse and could only amass a meagre 50 in reply.

It's Alcester and Ragley who top the table on points average after sending Badsey packing for 41, 19 of which were extras, in reply to the home side's 218-9.

Mark Moss top scored for Badsey with six as 18-year-old Mark Green-way ran amok through the order to record figures of 6-14 from eight overs.

Opening bowlers Dillon Fernando and Nick Chadbourne had earlier done their bit to ensure brittle Badsey were never in the hunt.

Earlier, Shaun Quirke (44) and Mark Fawthrop had added 85 for the first wicket before a Mark Bennett half century lifted the total past 200.

Chadbourne (28) and Gary Strain (34) added useful late runs.

Shipston and Claverdon both lost for a third time against Tanworth and Ashton-u-Hill respectively.

Two sides boast unblemished records in the second division after wins for Henley and Winchcombe.

Again the bowlers paved the way for 20-point hauls with Henley routing for Great Alne for 41 and Catherine de Barnes managing just four more runs against Winchcombe.

Chipping Campden are in third place after passing Harvington's 79 without loss.

There was a similar story at Ebrington where second placed Exhall and Wixford won by ten wickets after dismissing the hosts for 66, while Third Division leaders FISSC had seven wickets to spare after skittling Norton Lindsey for 90.

League newcomers Warwick County Council Staff, who rattled up 197-8, were emphatic Division Four conquerors of Henley, while fellow new boys Kenilworth Wardens came out tops after a successful run chase at Tanworth.

A third new team, Earlswood, defeated Alcester, who suffered three run outs, by 13 runs despite Andrew Haines's 45.

The Kenilworth club's second string top Division Five after recording their third successive win - a five-wicket defeat of Catherine de Barnes.

Twyning are the only other side boasting a 100 per cent record after seeing off a brave challenge of Elmley by 28 runs.

Harvington are one of three sides still to record a basement win after losing by 58 runs at Eckington.

They managed to restrict the visitors to just 33 runs in the opening 20 overs with Steve Drinkwater, ten overs for eight runs, the main reason.

However, Eckington skipper Dave Barrett blasted 77 swift runs to boost the total to 179-6.

Harvington then lost half their side for 43 before the Drinkwaters joined forces to take the score past three figures.

Steve perished for 36 and the tail capitulated as Barrett snapped up 4-21 to cap a fine all-round effort.

l THE scores received from the league secretary for May 5 showed Bidford losing to Overbury. However, recent information shows that the result should have been reversed!