KINGSWOOD Village, winners of the 20 over Pratt Cup for the last two years, has almost certainly ended up with the wooden spoon this year.

Even so, there was a welcome honour in the final game.

Losing the first games by one hundred runs and eight wickets, Kingswood saw Hillesley run up a useful 152-4 (Jay Westwood 40, George Whatley 18, Simon Elcombe and George Bailey 27no apiece) in the penultimate game.

Unlike the the previous games, Kingswood made a good fist of chasing. Kevin Morgan (30), Ben Foxwell (18), Angus McCubbin ten and especially schoolboys Davis Newcombe (19) and Jacob Symmanovski (25) made a good fist of the attempt.

Probably Jacob`s run out and George Eskins`s 2-16 were the difference as Kingswood fell short at 129-8.

The final game at Tortworth was really for the spoon. Tortworth already had had a victory and two fairly close losses. Kingswood had had two heavy and one fairly narrow losses.

Thus, the bonus points difference so far were in Tortworth`s favour. Further, Kingswood`s core players, all teenagers, were on an end of school whoopee in Crete.

Kingswood was forced to raid the graves for seven players between 49 and 74. Even a win, unless a massive one, for Kingswood would still leave It at the bottom. Nevertheless, any water in a desert would be nectar.

Kingswood lost two early wickets but were well reprieved by the elegant Foxwell (20) and McCubbin (31), explosive Rory Thomas (52 rtd), enterprising Ollie Niddrie (15), elementary Vince Taylor (13no) and emerging Ken Wood, who brought a useful but unexpected 158-6.

Torthworth`s Mike Dereham, retiring on 52, Jim Fannon (11), Marcus Walters (24) and Nick Jones (16) threatened the Kingswood total. Apart from Rory Thomas with 2-14 and a one stump run out from the boundary, it was Kingswood`s oldies, who saved the day.

Though McCubbin (1-9) bowled on one leg and Morgan (1-26) took off his keeper's pads, it was occasional bowler oldie Steve Barnes`s (3-23) slow lobs, which were the stars, even brushing them in their flight.

Even though Mike Dereham returned to complete an excellent 54 not out, Tortworth fell 25 short on 133-8.

It was a win for Kingswood but they still bottom of the final table.