WEPL Glos/Wilts Division

Lechlade (258-9) beat Rockhampton (139-8) by 91 runs on D/L method

ROCKHAMPTON'S title hopes were dealt a blow as they were beaten by league leaders Lechlade in a rain-affected match.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl, Rockhampton got off to a great start, reducing Lechlade to 10-2 with a wicket apiece for Will Cartlidge and Chris Perry.

However, this only brought South African's Joe Breet and Bradley Dial to the crease and the pair of them never looked in any bother despite the best efforts of the Rockhampton attack.

A break for rain reduced the game to a 45 over-a-side affair but this only gave the pair of them even more license and fours and sixes were hit with regularity in a partnership 140 before Hancox trapped Dial lbw for 94.

Wickets began to fall around him but Breet began a brutal assault on the spinners as he hit five sixes on his way to 85.

Cartlidge returned to grab exceptional figures of 9-2-25-3 on what was an otherwise very difficult afternoon for bowlers Perry (9-0-49-2), Dave McCabe (9-2-54-0), Guy Brothwood (9-1-45-0) and Hancox (9-0-81-3).

Rockhampton did drop a couple of simple catches at crucial moments.

In reply, the Rams got off to the worst possible start with Will Tyler given out caught behind off his pad for two.

Rain fell again after seven overs with the score on 17-1 and an a 45-minute delay resulted in a reduced target of 230 from 40 overs.

The period that followed the rain delay ultimately cost Rockhampton the game as they were unable to ever get close to the required rate and soon found themselves on 49-2 off 20 overs, leaving a massive 181 required from the final 20.

This became 100-7 off 30 as Sam Phelps (1), Will Cartlidge (15), Jack Spence (1) and McCabe (2) all selflessly gave their wickets away attempting big shots as the rate got above 12 an over.

Perry (19*) and Matt Tyler (36) added some calm and respectability to proceedings as Rockhampton limped to 139-8 from their 40 overs, resulting in a thumping defeat meaning that they now trail Lechlade by 24 points with six games remaining.

Rockhampton host Westbury and District on Saturday in a must-win encounter.