THE battle for promotion at the top of the Flint & Cook Marches League Division 2 took yet another twist when Bartestree & Lugwardine's victory over Builth Wells cut the margin on leaders Crickhowell, who were surprisingly beaten by struggling Woolhope.

A fine spell of bowling by Aaron Treagus set up Bartestree's success at Builth when the paceman reduced the home side from 95-4 to 122 as he picked up 5-35, including a final burst of 5-7 from his final 3.1 overs.

With the villagers' reply standing at 42-3, the game was still in the balance but David Robinson's unbeaten 57 swayed the game in favour of the visitors and he was able to finish things off with a six.

Kington 3rd and Ross look hot favourites to clinch the two promotion spots from Division 3 after both were successful last Saturday.

David Morgan (110) and Jim Lewis (51) led the way as Kington piled up a massive 291-9 from their allotted overs at Garnons 2nd.

Garnons' experienced openers David Brown and Gareth Evans were able to score only 16 from the first 10 overs of their reply and thereafter it was an uphill struggle. The pair went on to post a stand of 182 before Brown was caught at slip for 96 and Evans eventually succumbed for 61 but the home side finished 77 runs short.

Graham Farmer (108 not out) and Duncan Stacey (75) shared a fourth-wicket stand of 114 which underpinned Ross' total of 249-5 at Wormelow 2nd.

Matt Shaw (61) batted well for the villagers who were bowled out for 179 with Stuart Tucker returning 4-52.

Moccas still look set to slip into Division 4 in spite of a 59-run success over Talgarth 2nd in which Colin Prothero (83) and Sam Charles (54) contributed half-centuries.

The intriguing battle for top spot in Division 4 looks set to go right to the end of the season after front-runners Bosbury and Presteigne both picked up 19 points from wins.

Presteigne lost just two wickets in chasing Canon Frome's total of 144 while Bosbury's Merv Carless notched 95 and Peter Blake returned 4-21 as the villagers hammered Builth Wells 2nd by 106 runs.

In the Division 5 Cup, Strollers lost for the first time this season as the Cathcart brothers, Mark (87 not out) and Ian (69 not out), saw Lads Club home by nine wickets.

Chris Ball stroked 97 not out for Kington 4th in their 69-run win over Bishops Frome in the Division 6 Cup but the big hitting came from team-mate Pete Smith who cracked 42 from 15 balls, including five sixes in one over from Julian Wheeler.