GRAYSHOTT, with their improved form of late, were hoping to put more pressure on the I'Anson leaders. Instead, the cup holders suffered a damaging defeat at The Bourne.

A target of 150 seemed well within the visitors' capabilities, but they were undone by some fine seam bowling from Andy Rooke (6-57) and Toby Falkiner (4-37).

Put in on a green track, The Bourne had made slow progress against Haywood and Wheble, but they had wickets in hand and managed to reach 149-8 from 48 overs. Sale batted 31 overs for his 28, Falkiner scored a valuable 40, and Croucher and Cole added much-needed runs at the death.

Wheble bowled well for his 2 for 13 in 11 overs, but 14 runs off spinner Whitley's last over were to prove decisive.

Schwick started the Grayshott reply aggressively, but left-handers Hunt and Baker were both bowled by Rooke and Falkiner was soon amongst the wickets when he joined the attack.

Grayshott were always up with the asking rate, but wickets fell too regularly. Wheble, after hitting a six, fell to Rooke, Hales took three fine catches, and the final wicket fell to the last ball of the penultimate over, Conway prodding a Rooke slower ball to close fielder Siebert. Osborn could only look on as wickets fell around him and his side fell 11 runs short of victory.

Michael Allen, the I'Anson's leading century-maker since the league adopted a divisional format in 1991, reached three figures yet again as lowly Fernhurst got the better of a draw with Frensham. It was a typically forceful effort by Allen who completed his 11th I'Anson hundred. An under-strength Frensham struggled to take wickets and Phil Stone shouldered the work-load, taking 2 for 95 in 24 overs. Grant Turtle returned his first five-wicket haul in the top division as Fernhurst batted 48 overs for their total of 229-7.

The experience of Chuter and Harrison served Frensham well as they got off to a solid start. The visitors were never up with the run-rate against Fernhurst's tight bowling, but Tom Charman made certain of two points with a responsible 45 not out.

Ashley Cook's fine innings of 89 stood between Puttenham and a likely win. Invited to bat by Headley, Puttenham were given an excellent start by Budd and Lumsden. The openers put on 102 and Lumsden went on to make 78. The middle order scored at a good pace and the home side declared at 212-7 after only 38 overs. Arend and Downham shared seven wickets, but they came expensively.

Needing just over four runs an over, Headley lost their openers with only 13 on the board. Cook then took control and when he was finally stumped off Smith, the visitors had wickets in hand to go for the win. But a challenge never materialised and although Puttenham used seven bowlers, Headley finished 33 runs behind with five wickets intact.

Dogmersfield had the thick end of a draw in an excellent top-of-the-table match at Cranleigh SA. After a good knock by opener Luke Voyce and then a hard-hit 43 from Ed Smith, the Dogmersfield innings rather fell away, but the visitors were still able to make a challenging midway declaration at 186-8.

Smith led St Andrews' reply with a solid 47 and Knight also batted well. But with Len Smith snapping up some quick wickets, Cranleigh shut up shop and, at 139-8, they were happy to take two points.

Bottom side Thursley never really recovered from a slow start against the accurate bowling of Wright and, in particular, Haymon who at one stage had figures of 4 for 5 in 14 overs. He finished with 6 for 36 from 23 overs and only a late rally, led by Lowry, helped the visitors reach three figures.

Wood Street also struggled early on, with Wells and Tilson reducing them to an alarming 27-5. However, the in-form Morrison (65 not out) was joined by Burke and their excellent unbroken stand saw Wood Street to their third win of the season.

Both sides would have liked to bowl first at Tilford, but Lindford won the toss and the home side found runs extremely hard to come by. The openers put on 31 before Hunt got an unplayable lifter from Keddle. Wilson held his side together with a hard-earned 41, but Tilford continued to struggle until some excellent late batting by Macdonald and Martyn made the score more respectable. Clement had superb figures of 5 for 15 at the start of the last over, but Martyn dented his figures with two splendid sixes.

It took Nesbit six overs to rip out Lindford's top order, despite Hooker's quickfire start. Gray and Rose got their side back on track, but Ali Macdonald blasted out the tail and, with Tilford holding their catches, they recorded their fourth victory in five matches.