WITH four weeks of the season to go, Frensham have blown the I’Anson title race wide open after ending Puttenham’s unbeaten record on Saturday.

It leaves Puttenham, Blackheath and Frensham – all champions during the last decade – locked together at the top, with the rest lagging well behind.

Frensham won a tense top-of-the-table clash at Hollowdene, thanks to career-best bowling figures by spinner Tim Knight.

Put in to bat, Frensham started brightly, with openers George Breddy and Leon Ellen putting on 48 before both were bowled by Aks Ilyas during a typically fiery opening spell by the Puttenham captain. This prompted a mini-collapse and the home team subsided to 64-5 as Sajad Hussain removed the middle order.

However, Tom Charman, Jordan Frost and Nick Cobbold contributed vital runs and Frensham posted a defendable 150 all out in 46 overs. Hussain recorded superb figures of 14-3-26-5.

Puttenham lost their openers cheaply to Frost and Cobbold, but a fine partnership of 54 between James Crouch and Kashif Hussain took the visitors to 71-2 and apparently on course for victory.

The introduction of the slower bowlers changed the match again. Ray Clarke bowled Hussain for 25 and then Knight took two wickets in his first over to reduce Puttenham to 74-5.

Crouch found a reliable partner in Ilyas and completed a measured half-century, only to miss a sweep shot against Knight and be adjudged lbw.

This proved decisive. Knight claimed two more wickets in his next over and ended the match by dismissing Ilyas. Puttenham all out for 111 after losing their last five wickets for three runs. Knight’s final figures were 8.1-3-22-6 – his best in I’Anson cricket.

Tilford escaped with two points as relegation-threatened Dogmersfield had much the better of a draw at the Green. The visitors were asked to bat and the start of the innings was notable in that Nigel Martyn caught three of the first four batsmen at slip, all off Jason Stones.

But from a shaky 37-4, Dogmersfield rallied, with Nick Berridge hitting a quick 23 and Asif Mustafa a more refined 32.

Both were caught by Guy Wilson off Martyn, leaving Dogmersfield 120-7, but Mansoor Bashir (28) and the late order added valuable runs before Huw Town-Jones claimed the last three wickets and Tilford were left to score 162 in 45 overs.

They, too, made a poor start, with Rick Seabrook bowled by Berridge who also had Mark Ramesar caught at slip, and it was left to opener Ryan Chitty and Andy Hall Hall to repair the damage.

The introduction of slow bowler Imran Abbas caused a dramatic collapse, though, and he took the next six wickets to fall, including Hall Hall for 35.

With defeat imminent, skipper Stones held firm, scoring 7 not out off 41 balls, aided first by Martyn and then Geoff Coombe who played out the final over. Tilford ended on 113-9 and Abbas returned figures of 6-15 off 11 overs.

Blackheath continued the determined defence of their title with a fairly straightforward win over Witley. Improving Witley elected to bat, but were soon in trouble against Rob Weston who removed the top three. Ollie Hickman (35) and Mark Burton (25) improved things, but a burst of 3-11 in 4.2 overs by Hugh Jolly left the visitors all out for 124 in 38 overs.

Charlie Hunt had an early success when Blackheath replied, but Witley could not contain Rob Parrott whose fast 62 not out (12 fours and a six) ensured an early finish. Harry Giles (37) and Alex Bertola gave good support and Blackheath had the job done in 18 overs.

Headley have suffered at the hands of Grayshott in recent years, so victory over their near-neighbours was particularly sweet. With both sides missing key personnel, Grayshott opted to field first, but could not prevent the visitors batting the full 48 overs for a decent score of 157-8.

Harry Clarke (27) and Ashley Cook (40) put on 62 for the second wicket and a swift 30 from Gavin Arend was well backed up by Marc Hawtin and skipper Andy Clarke.

After early wickets for Matt Hall and George Worman, Grayshott’s hopes rested with Gary Hunt and the keeper hit six boundaries before falling to Stuart Smith for 33.

Smith and Graham Badland then reduced Grayshott to 100-9 before meeting stubborn and lengthy resistance from the last pair of Alex Marden and Cameron Oosthuizen.

With just one over to go, leg-spinner Smith trapped Marden in front to finish with 5-35 in 14 overs and Headley had their 10 points.

l Wrecclesham, who have already withdrawn their 2nd XI this season, were unable raise a side and concded 10 points to Chiddingfold.