Grayshott strengthened their position at the top of the I'Anson and other results ran kindly for them, with Puttenham losing to Tilford and Frensham only drawing at The Bourne.
Lindford, entertaining the new leaders, were 55-1 after 18 overs, but a collapse set in when the in-form Keddle was stumped by Osborn. Six wickets fell for 30 runs and only a lusty 28 from Clement gave the total a hint of respectability. Sobey did the damage with his brisk spinners, taking 6 for 46 in 21 overs.
Keddle and Lee took three quick wickets when Grayshott replied. Keddle also dismissed Wheble, but Lindford could not separate Osborn and Whitley and their unbroken stand of 41 saw Grayshott to a deserved win.
Puttenham, asked to bat on a drying track, were made to struggle by Tilford opening bowlers Martyn and McCartney who conceded only 19 runs in the first 15 overs and kept the batsmen well on the back foot. Only Thompson (47) and Smith made any real impact and the home side were eventually all out for 145 in the 45th over.
Tilford's reply was solid and, despite the early loss of Slinger, they never looked in trouble. Wilson and Hunt (58) put on 83 for the second wicket and then Stuart Talbot, making a rare Saturday appearance, came in to play a fine innings. He was still there at the finish, 41 not out, and Tilford reached the target in 41 overs. A match played in the right spirit and Puttenham were well beaten on the day.
The Bourne, having picked up maximum points from their last three games, drew with Frensham in a tight encounter. Put in to bat on a damp track, Bourne handled the pace of Coldicott and Green without too much trouble, Andy Sale making a useful 39. But the run-rate slowed with the introduction of Senior and Clarke and the home side were struggling to even make 100 at one stage. But The Bourne batted right through the tail and managed a respectable 154-8 off 48 overs.
Frensham started slowly against the reliable Andy Rooke. The arrival of the in-form Toby Falkiner accelerated the scoring and when he reached his 50 with the score at 60, he was threatening to win the game on his own. But Falkiner fell to Clarke for 55 and with Crawley beginning to pick up wickets, the game evened up. Frensham, needing 16 off the last over, ended eight runs behind, but took the winning draw.
There was a controversial dismissal in the drawn game between Fernhurst and Witley. Fernhurst struggled against some very tight bowling from Dale and Ritchie. Having reached 78-4, Mike Allen (44) was given out for shouting while a Witley fielder was under a high catch, which he then dropped. Three more wickets fell quickly before an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 52 between Ralph and Meears took the total to a respectable 157-9 from 48 overs.
The Witley reply was steady, although they were never far behind the run-rate. When a 79-run stand between Whiddett and Ritchie was eventually broken, Witley seemed well on the way to victory at 124-3 with eight overs to go. But Fernhurst had other ideas and struck back through Fowler, on for his second spell. He grabbed four wickets in two overs, leaving Witley to bat out the final over for a winning draw
Dogmersfield, put in to bat at Kingsley, were struggling at 32-3 and then 39-5, with Cooper (6-69 in 20 overs) and McNally doing an excellent job in the absence of Randall. However, the late order came to the visitors' rescue and a vital eighth-wicket stand of 44 between T Shirley and Wood (31) helped Dogmersfield to a respectable 140 in 45 overs.
Kingsley also started badly, but there was no real recovery. Opener Sam Parrott tried to hold things together as Hyland ran through the batting, taking 6 for 43 in 19 overs. T Shirley claimed the last wicket and Kingsley were all out for 78.
An outstanding all-round performance by Jason Lynch was the backbone of a much-needed victory for Headley over Thursley. Lynch rescued his team from a position of 80-6 to the comparative respectability of 132-8 with a score of 30. The top order had seemed packed with experience, but it was young Gavin Arend who held things together before Lynch made his vital contribution.
Lynch then ripped the heart out of Thursley's top order with a devastating new-ball burst of 4 for 7 to leave the visitors reeling at 21-4. He was denied a first five-wicket haul for Headley when the normally reliable Gavin May dropped an easy chance at first slip.
Myers and Sylvester led a Thursley fightback, but the other Headley bowlers got into the action and the visitors were dismissed for 84 in the 34th over.