TANWORTH and Camp Hill slipped to a 66-run defeat by way of Duckworth Lewis (DLS) against fellow title challengers Shipston-on-Stour.
TACH saw their five-game winning run come to an end in a rain-affected clash with Shipston with the visitors bowled out for 150 in pursuit of a revised 217 at Shipston Sports Club.
The result means Tanworth sit third in the Cotswold Hills League Premier Division table, 16 points behind leaders Bretforton.
TACK took on the side at the top of the league at the start of play for the third week in a row as Ben Bryant and Seth Jordan shared three early wickets between them.
The ever-economical Bryant (2-16) trapped home skipper Ryan Worthington (2) LBW, before bowling Jack Murphy (4), while at the other end, two stoppages in play came about as Daniel Knight (18) received blows to the neck and chest by deliveries which leapt alarmingly off the pitch from Jordan (1-36), before holing out to James Carey at mid-wicket.
Shipston recovered to add 69 runs for the fourth wicket as Marcus Ireland (76) counter-attacked with support from Jamie Shurmer (17) as both batters punished TACH’s Oscar Newell (1-74).
Following two brief rain breaks, Tim Keyte (1-36) provided the breakthrough to dismiss Ireland for 76 off just 56 balls only for Stefan Obermeyer (44) to take up the lead, scoring at a run-a-ball.
A shooter from Lee Gill (1-25) eventually accounted for Obermeyer as Jonty Harvey (17 not out) and Josh Bolderston (8 not out) added late runs to help Shipston finish on 210-6 off 39 overs.
DLS increased TACH’s target to 217 as Tanworth made a fast start in reply with Gill (40) hitting five boundaries and a maximum in his 38-ball innings.
However, none of TACH’s other top order batters reached double figures as Obermeyer (3-23), Harvey (2-28) and Ireland (1-35) left Tanworth reeling on 67-6.
TACH’s middle order offered some resistance as Dan Williams (31), Keyte (28 not out) and Nick Sale (13) achieved double-figure scores in vain with Tanworth all out for 150 inside the 38th over.
