GRAYSWOOD and Blackheath both notched up wins at the top of I’Anson Division?One, with Blackheath’s maximum inching them closer to the leaders. Both front-runners will be keeping an eye on Puttenham who recorded a fourth successive win last Saturday.

Elstead, Pirbright and Wrecclesham – the bottom three – all lost, while reigning champions Tilford slumped to fourth from bottom after a third straight defeat.

Grayswood’s strange encounter with an eight-man Pirbright included two suicidal run-outs and a reverse sweep by Jon Ashworth to finish the game before tea.

Pirbright openers James Thompson and Awais Khan put on 33 on a greenish pitch before first-change Finn Campbell stuck out a hand to take a return catch off Thompson. Two runs later, Andy Gloak bowled Khan to begin an unstoppable slide.

In the next two overs, the Grayswood skipper took two more wickets, while two crazy run-outs hardly helped the visitors’ cause. The visitors, decimated by unavailability, were shot out for 51 in little more than 20 overs.

It was not exactly a stroll for the leaders. Aman Khan and Jason Mason bowled with fire and Callum Kent and Pawan Chauhan fell to short balls that they miscued, both caught-and-bowled by bowlers determined to make the catches their own, no matter how far they had to run.

When Al Green was superbly taken low down at slip by Ivan Wright, Grayswood were an embarrassing 7-3. Sanity was needed and Jack Shaw-Pethers and David Soper duly steadied things for a while. At 19-4, Andy Major charged into action and hit 26 off his first nine balls. He ran himself out trying to complete a second run to win the game, but Ashworth’s flamboyant stroke ensured an early tea.

Blackheath needed to bat well after winning the toss against Dogmersfield and the early run-out of Will Melhuish was not the start they had in mind. However, Josh Milton and Alan Cope added 63, paving the way for a free-scoring partnership of 92 between Cope (84) and Harry Giles (75). Rashid and Saeed Illyas began to take wickets, but Blackheath closed on a formidable 239-7 at the halfway stage.

Dogmersfield began well enough and reached 48-1, with Rashid (23) going well before the wheels came off against opening seamers Rob Weston and Dallas McDermott. Bowling unchanged, the pair swept through the rest of the batting and Dogmersfield’s ten men collapsed to 86 all out in the 24th over. Weston took 6 for 43 and McDermott 3 for 37.

Alfold were the latest victims as Puttenham continued their impressive run, winning a one-sided match by 135 runs. Puttenham’s latest opening pair of James Andrews and Seamus Leonard put on 43 before Ryan Powell produced a good delivery to dismiss Leonard and followed up by bowling James Crouch. Sohail Awan (30) steadied things before becoming Powell’s third victim and when Andrews was dismissed for a well-constructed 43 in the 31st over, Puttenham were 99-4 and the visitors were hoping to restrict them to an achievable target.

However, an excellent unbeaten stand of 97 between Dan Harrison and Ahsan Awan enabled a halfway declaration at 196-4. Harrison was happy to drop anchor as Awan, particularly destructive, blasted 69 not out, three of his five sixes landing on the pavilion roof.

Two needless run-outs meant a terrible start for Alfold. The middle and lower-order batsmen failed to build any stands and Aks Ilyas and James Crouch, with four wickets apiece, had little difficulty in securing the victory with 22 overs to spare. Skipper Darren Haygarth (15 not out) did his best to delay the inevitable, but none of his team-mates was able to provide any sort of support. Alfold were dismissed for 61 in the 23rd over.

It was a damp track at Hollowdene, but Frensham elected to bat against Wrecclesham and the decision paid off as openers George Breddy and Peter Harrison – a nice mix of youth and experience – put on 95 in 20 overs, both completing half-centuries. The platform was well laid and Ryan Sherman and Tom Charman took advantage. Wrecclesham did begin to pick up wickets, but Tom Smith and Adam Pailing unleashed a late onslaught and Frensham were able to declare on 253-5 from 41 overs. The visitors stuck to their task and Matt Parkinson’s excellent fielding was much appreciated by the spectators.

Wrecclesham openers Henry Bate and Chris Windeatt also started positively and hit Adam Goulder and Nick Cobbold out of the attack. It was slow bowlers Tim Knight and Ray Clarke who got things going for the hosts, picking up three wickets between them in a very tidy ten-over period.

Sam Farncombe juggled his bowlers to good effect and as Wrecclesham set themselves to bat out time, Tom Smith came on to bring the game to a swift conclusion. He had Windeatt caught for a fine 44 and blew away the tail to finish with 5 for 17 in six overs. Wrecclesham were dismissed for 124 in 34 overs.

Despite yet another seven-wicket haul for Nigel Martyn, Tilford lost by 34 runs as they failed to chase down Headley’s modest 130 all out. Tilford had the considerable advantage of bowling first on a pitch of emerald green and Headley sensed a tough afternoon when Stuart Smith was adjudged leg before to Geoff Coombe in the third over. Joe Randall grafted his way to 24, including a six to get off the mark, as he and Gavin Arend added 37.

Arend went on to play a captain’s innings, but Martyn had settled into a groove and was relishing the conditions. Two overs of spin netted 32 crucial runs, however. Arend finally went for a well- crafted 58 off 75 balls and Harry Clarke contributed a valuable 21 as Headley fought their way to 130. The evergreen Martyn, aided by good catching, finished with 7 for 46 in a continuous 14-over spell.

George Neave was wayward with the new ball and Tilford were looking in good shape at 24-0 after five overs. However, the next seven balls changed things completely as Randall claimed a triple wicket-maiden. He started with a beauty to bowl Andy Hall Hall, followed up with an excellent return catch to dismiss Mark Ramesar and ended with another straight one to castle Alex Beard. Smith had Chris Wilson caught at slip off his first ball and four wickets had fallen for no runs.

Guy Wilson was caught behind off Randall and although Matt Cook improvised some attacking shots in his 27 and Brandon Ambrose batted well for his 25 not out, Headley were not to be denied. Smith and Neave did further damage before the returning Randall produced a brute of a ball which Coombe could only glove to Callum Hawtin. Tilford all out for 96 and Randall had 5 for 24 in 9.3 overs to go with his 24 runs.

Grayshott going for their fourth consecutive win, and with morale high after the club’s extensive coverage in the same day’s Daily Telegraph, trounced ten-man Elstead by eight wickets.

Elstead were reeling at 10-3 and then suffered a hammer blow when Cameron Oosthuizen got one to nip away and the dangerous Josh Berry was caught off a leading edge.

At 37-6, an early finish looked on the cards, but Lewis Sheppard and the attack-minded Ashan Ahmed shared a good stand, taking the score to 78 before Mark Richards dismissed Ahmed for 27. Rob Gregory matched Oosthuizen in taking four wickets and Elstead were all out for 97.

Steve McCrum took a quick wicket when Grayshott replied, but Neil Moseley, relishing a chance to open, was soon putting away any bad balls. He and Nathan Phillimore added 36 before the skipper was caught off a lifting delivery from Ahmed.

Moseley and James Cavannagh completed the job with a partnership of 51, Moseley ending 47 not out.