Leighton back in pole position for promotion to the top flight

Their six wicket triumph saw them take over at the top of the league table, just a single point ahead of Buckingham Town 2nds, who beat fellow title contenders Challow and Childrey as they slipped from first to third, 13 points adrift of the new leaders.

Things got off to a flyer at Bell Close, and it was a start the visitors would never recover from.

With the combination of Dan Scott and Jack Kempster, Cropredy quickly found themselves 6-4 as the duo tore through them. Kempster would end with figures of 3-40, while Scott took 3-23, and it spelled disaster for Cropredy, who limped to 46-7 before mounting something of a resistance.

Jake Waters (44) and Jamie Jennings (28 not out) managed to put some runs on the board for the visitors, but when Alan Francis (2-19) removed Waters with the score at 81-8, the writing was on the wall.

The tail showed a little sign of life, but they eventually succumbed for just 124.

Stark contrast to Cropredy’s opening, Leighton openers Kempster and Phil Whatmore set out their stall early, and put the home side in pole position to take the victory.

Putting on 56 for the opening wicket, Kempster fell for 24, and though they lost Mark Burfoot for a duck, Leighton and in particular Whatmore, continued to power on.

Whatmore would go on to score 76 of Leighton’s 128 runs before being bowled out by Jacob Heath, so it was left to Wayne Tyas (19 not out) and Dave Roberts (3 not out) to seal the victory, and indeed top spot.

In Division 5, Leighton Buzzard 2nds climbed to fifth with a four wicket win over Oxford 3rds.

Greg Proudfoot was the pick of the bowlers for Leighton as his remarkable 4-4 saw Oxford back in the pavilion with just 135 runs to their name.

The reply got off to a shaky start though with just seven runs scored by the top four, but an unbeaten 57 from Andy Smith guided Leighton (138-6) to victory.