WEPL Glos Wilts Division.

Lechlade 147-7 Chippenham 143 all out. LECHLADE extended their unbeaten run to six games with a gritty home win in a low-scoring game against Chippenham on Saturday.

Lechlade captain Paul Godding won the toss and with rain threatening decided to invite the visitors to bat first.

Chippenham scored only 23 runs off the first ten overs with Lechlade’s Luke Sellers and Will Nichols getting the Chippenham openers Tom Young and Pete Sykes to play and miss on a regular basis, but without success.

With the score on 33, it was Sellers’ replacement Paul Godding who made the first breakthrough in the 15th over when he bowled Sykes for 11.

As the scoreboard pressure started to build on Chippenham, the batsmen began to take risks and Arnie Yugaraja ran out Michael Torr for 0 three balls later.

Asanka Vithanage, making his return to the Lechlade side after an absence of four weeks, then bowled Young for 19.

It was then Arran Dickinson’s turn to run out Billy Cookson (19) in the 30th over.

Lechlade’s dual spin attack of Vithanage and Yugaraja piled on the pressure, taking three more wickets and Tris Hawkes finished off the Chippenham rearguard with an explosive spell, taking the last three wickets in 26 balls.

Lechlade, chasing the Chippenham total of 143, got off to their now-customary steady start before the pace increased with the arrival of Yugaraja, who regularly found the boundary.

But when he was bowled for 29 Lechlade suffered a mini-collapse with the wickets of Joe Breet and Sam Burdock falling in 13 balls with only three runs added to the total.

Dickinson and Kam Shah stabilised the innings before the latter’s dismissal set in motion another clatter of Lechlade wickets. With Lechlade on 119-7, a Lechlade wobble looked on as Godding joined Dickinson at the wicket.

With plenty of overs left and only 25 runs required, the pair dug in and batted responsibly, seeing Lechlade home without further loss.

Dickinson, who top-scored on 34, drove the winning runs through mid-wicket for four in the 35th over.

Lechlade coach Luke sellers said: "We worked hard in difficult conditions and deserved the win. Our fielding again was top class with three run-outs showing our commitment in the field. The bowling unit all performed well and Arran saw us through at the end when things could have gone badly wrong."