High-flying Winchcombe needed just 3.2 overs to reach their target and secure an emphatic nine-wicket win over Upton St Leonards on Saturday.

The home side won the toss but were then shot out for just 32 in 16.3 overs.

New-ball pairing Chris Willemstein and Jarrod Campling bowled all but three balls of the Upton St Leonards innings with Willemstein taking 3-14 and Campling 5-13. The other two wickets to fall were run-outs.

The victory leaves Winchcombe 35 points clear at the top of Division 6A of the Gloucestershire Cricket League and with just five games to play they are well-placed to secure the one promotion spot.

They are unbeaten in the league this season and were far too strong for bottom-of-the-table Upton St Leonards who have won just one league game.

“It was fantastic, absolutely, but it was a bit of a weird game,” said Winchcombe chairman and opening batsman Eddie Huggett.

“They were 19-0 but then lost 10 wickets for 13 runs, once we took a couple of wickets they went down like skittles.

“The wicket was fine, we showed that when we batted.”

Winchcombe were playing in the Cotswold Hills League up until a couple of years ago. They finished mid-table in Division Six of the Gloucestershire County League in 2024 and Huggett said that promotion under new skipper Jack Galpin is very much the target this season.

“We’re on a pretty good run, but we’ve still got a couple of big games against Hatherley and Reddings 3rds and Arcadians,” he said.

Second-placed Hatherley host Winchcombe a week on Saturday while Winchcombe entertain third-placed Arcadians, who trail the leaders by 60 points, the following week.

Skipper Galpin, formerly of Bourton Vale who joined the club midway through last season, wasn’t required to bat on Saturday, while top off-spinner Navaz Mucadam didn’t need to bowl.

“Jack is the leading runscorer in the division and Navaz is the leading wicket-taker,” added Huggett.

Winchcombe are at home to second-placed Lydney 2nds on Saturday.