5:56pm Wednesday 25th August 2010
THORNBURY stayed in the hunt for promotion with one game to play by beating Warminster.
Richard Trotman’s side are in a four-way battle for two places in Premier One and welcome relegation-threatened Cheltenham to the Ship Field this Saturday.
Fourth-placed Thornbury are one point behind Ilminster and Westbury & District, who meet league leaders Downend in a final day which could have teams reaching for their calculators.
After being put into bat by Warminster, Thornbury lost openers Ian Blackwell (5) and Nick Stovold (18) before Juvaunie Gayle (49) and Greg Stephens (25) shared 74.
Both fell in quick succession but Trotman (29) and Kanishka Edirisuriya put on another 71 before Thornbury lost their last six wickets for 31 runs.
Gayle (2-26) then did the damage with the ball by removing both Warminster openers before Ian Blakemore (1-26) broke a partnership of 50 between Tom Davie and Gary Slade, who was trapped lbw for 26.
Curtis Blakemore (1-46) had Nathan Bond caught and bowled and Saul Heard (4-31) then took four wickets, including the crucial one of Davie for 56.
Trotman also took a wicket and Warminster’s innings was ended by a run out. Elsewhere, Rockhampton and Chipping Sodbury’s hopes of promotion have been hit by the awful August weather with neither completing a game in the last three weeks.
Rockhampton had hoped to join local rivals Thornbury in Premier Two but that is now impossible with the top two of Gloucester City Winget and Biddestone set to meet on the final day in the Glos/Wilts Division.
Sodbury must beat Winterbourne at home in their final game on Saturday and hope league leaders Bishopston lose to Twyford House to stand any chance of being promoted from the Bristol and North Somerset Division.
Winterbourne are safe from relegation with Hambrook too far adrift at the bottom.
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