CHIPPING Sodbury bounced back to form with a comfortable 37-run home win over struggling Lydney in the WEPL’s Gloucestershire division that owed much to the skills of a three-pronged spin attack.

Phil Lill (46) and opener Dan Wright (24) were the only men to establish themselves at the crease in a Sodbury total of 166 after losing the toss.

And Lill (3-23 from ten), Nick Wake (3-13 from 8.1) and skipper Jamie Rendell (2-33 from eight) then bowled with admirable control and guise to bowl out the visitors for 129.

The result leaves Sodbury in fifth place but with a big role to play in the final three weeks of the campaign and a tight race for promotion.

Next up for Rendell’s band of happy warriors is a trip to second-placed Tewkesbury followed by a home date against leaders Hatherley & Reddings before the season concludes with a trip to Dumbleton (fourth).

Sodbury 2nds remain in the runners-up position in Division Three of the Gloucestershire County League despite a 48-run reverse at Dumbleton 2nds.

The home side rattled up 247-6, Tom Clay (1-28 from nine) the pick of the attack. The visitors then found themselves in trouble with the bat despite the work of Matt Webb (43) and it needed some lusty late blows from tailenders Darren ‘Dinger’ Bell (44) and Clay (27 not) to redress the scoreboard.

It was a tough day for Sodbury 3rds who slipped to a nine-wicket reverse away to Patchway’s first XI in Division Seven of the Bristol & District League.

The visitors struggled to 110 all out, Neil Barrett and Naomi Forecast (18) top scoring before Patchway romped in.

It was tighter at the Ridings where Sodbury 4ths grafted hard before succumbing to a three-wicket reverse against Long Ashton 2nds in Division 11.

Steve Clapp came out of retirement with an unbeaten 67 for Sodbury who also had a fine 52 from opener Anth Perrins along with a career-best unbeaten 37 by Chris Young in a total of 207-5.

Brad Hughes (2-26 from six) then gave Sodbury hope with the ball while Phil Rendell, another Sodbury legend tempted to put his whites back on after an extended break away from playing, bamboozled with a burst of 1-18.

But with the match on a knife edge in came Jon Ball to swing proceedings with a classy unbeaten 63 against his former clubmates, securing the spoils with almost five overs to spare.