BINFIELD took a major step towards Chilterns League Division One glory with an emphatic 159-run trouncing of Littlewick Green, writes Richard Ashton.

The table-toppers lost a couple of early wickets before Sean Ennis (31) and Eddie Lee (26) steadied the ship.

The score had reached 67 when Ennis became the third man to go, caught by Tom Maskell off the bowling of Joe Blundell for 31.

Captain Mike Staves made a useful 49, but when he fell Binfield were not in complete control on 153-7.

However, Mickey Reid (36) and Jack Collett (28no) produced a mature eight-wicket stand of 62, and Binfield declared after 49 overs with the score on 220-8.

The Littlewick Green innings never got going in the face of tremendous opening spells by Tom Andrews and Matt Hayman, with none of the top four making double figures.

Indeed, with no let-up from Rupert Warren and Collett, only number five Maskell (10) scored more than single figures in the top 10.

Indeed, if it were not for number 11 Chris Symonds top scoring with 16, Littlewick could have been shot out for even less than the 61 they were.

It was Andrews who was the star of the show, bowling throughout the innings to record figures of 7-32 from 13.5 overs which included three maidens.

Binfield – who visit Chalfont St Giles this coming Saturday (1pm) – were given a further boost when their nearest title rivals, Wraysbury, were edged out by one wicket by Braywood in a dramatic encounter.

The result leaves Binfield 27 points clear at the top.

On a good day for the club, Binfield 2nds moved up to second in Division Two following their nerve-jangling three-wicket success at Taplow 2nds.

Amelia Humphrey recorded superb figures of 3-28 to help restrict Taplow to 146, Ian Goddard (2-7), James Wright (2-26) and Tim Vines (2-31) also chipping in.

Binfield lost six of their top seven for single figures, but the nerveless Vines (87no) saw them home.