Ashgar keeps Stourbridge on tight rein before Lewis and Briscoe see Spa home

Stourbridge got off to a fine start as openers Bingham (55) and Game (41) put on 116 for the first wicket to extend Leamington’s wicketless streak to 393 runs.

However, the introduction of Nabeel Ashgar turned the game as his outstanding effort of six for 60 meant Stourbridge never got away from the visitors, despite 42 from Hassan.

Stourbridge finished on 249 for seven and Spa were quickly reduced to 10 for two in reply.

A third-wicket stand of 58 between Mark Lewis and David Bailey (32) got the innings back on track before Lee Hopkins (44) joined Lewis in a fourth-wicket partnership of 85.

Ross Briscoe then joined Lewis in a match-winning partnership. The pair added 92 before Lewis was adjudged lbw for a wonderful 82 but this left Briscoe to see his side across the line with an aggressive 65 not out.

Despite losing a couple of late wickets, Leamington won by four wickets with 19 balls remaining to maintain their stance at the top of the table.

An energetic Wellesbourne side sent Leamington 3rds crashing to their biggest-ever Cotswold Hills League defeat.

The tone was set from the opening deliveries as Nathan Edwards dominated a partnership of 90 in just 14 overs.

After Edwards (81) was dismissed with the score at 115, Leamington regained a measure of control to limit Wellesbourne to 228 for nine from their 45 overs, with Havers (39) and Evans (31) making contributions down the order.

Matt Sellars was the best of the Leamington bowlers with figures of 10-4-34-3.

The Leamington reply got off to a disastrous start when James Cowan was run out without facing a ball and, thereafter, wickets fell regularly to leave Leamington 20 for six.

Matt Davison (13 not out) and skipper Matthew Dale (17) staged a brief recovery but, after Dale was brilliantly caught at mid-on, the innings quickly subsided to 62 all out.

Gary Maynard finished with an impressive five for 36, with Stephenson picking up three for six.