CROWCOMBE kept up the pressure at the top of the first division in the West Somerset Cricket League with a three-wicket home win over title rivals Ashbrittle.

Put into bat, Ashbrittle scored 202 for the loss of only three wickets in their 40 overs with opener Wilfred Embleton top scoring with 76, while the in-form Luke Williams was 70 not out, with four fours and six sixes. Richard Baker took 2-54.

Crowcombe timed their run-chase to perfection with 18 balls to spare, Jack Lewis steering them to victory with 51 not out, with five fours and two sixes, while Will Ellis hit 45 and Sajid Ahmed 27. Oliver White snapped up 3-66 and Callum White 2-34.

Meanwhile, champions Watchet have a ten-point lead at the top over Crowcombe - they also have a game in hand - after they gained a six-wicket away victory over Bridgetown.

Bridgetown, who won the toss and decided to bat, were bowled out for a disappointing 69 in 27.2 overs. Last season’s winners took only 13 overs to knock off the runs although they lost four wickets.

In the only other match played in the division, Morebath moved up to fourth after they gained a 40-run away success against Bagborough who were bowled out for 151 in their run-chase.

Morebath scored 191 in 36.2 overs with C Hooper top scoring with 61 while S Nelson knocked 42. T Eve was Bagborough’s leading wicket-taker with 5-56 while D Stirzaker took 3-23.

Bagborough could not handle the bowling of I Gallage (4-37), G Turner (3-24) and R Bowden (2-35) and were bowled out for 151 with opener J Glanvill being their leading run-maker with 33. At one stage Bagborough were 97-2.

Stogumber have a 57-point lead at the top of Division Two over second-placed Roadwater after their opponents Winsford, relegated at the end of last season, conceded their match.

Roadwater, who have a game in hand over Stogumber, were six-wicket winners at home to Hemyock in a match which produced more the 400 runs.

The Devon side, who opted to bat first, scored 220 all out with Pavisekan Nadesvaran tops with 65 while John Hurley made 47. Joe Murch took 3-45 and Caleb Laney 2-47.

Joel Cornish was Roadwater’s star with the bat, with a run-a-minute 74, while Murch scored 47 and Kieran Roberts 40.

Stoke St Mary are third, only five points behind Roadwater, after they won by 31 runs against fourth-placed Cutcombe who were bowled out for 139 despite an impressive start with Ned Binding (36) and Mark Matravers (35) being the leading batters while Oliver Squire finished with match-winning figures of 5-23. Stoke’s top batters in their 170 all out were Jon Gallagher (38) and Ben Gray (30).

Churchinford lost by eight wickets at home to Lydeard St Lawrence despite an opening stand of 92 by Chris Roberts (56) and Andrew Layard (61), with Tom Westcott, Cayton Vellacott and Tom Meek all taking three wickets. Meek (54) and Mark Hannaford (48 not out) were Lydeard’s top batters.

Results, Division One: Bagborough 151 (17 pts), Morebath 191 (34); Bridgetown 69 (7), Watchet 71-4 (34); Crowcombe 205-7 (28), Ashbrittle 202-3 (17); Over Stowey (35), Sampford Arundel (0).

Division Two: Churchinford 164-9 (10), Lydeard St Lawrence 168-2 (34); Cutcombe 139 (16), Stoke St Mary 170 (33); Roadwater 223-4 (35), Hemyock 220 (14); Winsford (0), Stogumber (35).