PROMOTION from Wilts One is now Goatacre’s to lose after Craig Gibbens inspired his side to an overwhelming 105-run defeat of Lechlade on Saturday.

The league leaders’ skipper took 7-28 in a sensational 12-over blitz of the hosts’ top order, of whom only Adrian Stenner found any way to retaliate.

It was the perfect defence of a competitive target of 209, achieved despite the early loss of Liam Dawson thanks to an exhibition of patience at the crease from Jack Haines and Luke Edwards, who both fell just shy of respective half-centuries.

Such a convincing win has massively dented the Lechlade points average - the system used to decide the league champion - after the two sides had been separated by just 0.02 of a point prior to the start of play.

Now, with three games remaining including matches against strugglers Purton and Calne, Goatacre stand on the cusp of a return to Glos/Wilts cricket and captain Gibbens has thrown down the challenge to his teammates to remain unbeaten throughout their final fixtures.

“We certainly should be looking to win them all, and we would be disappointed if we didn’t,” he said.

“We have got ourselves into a fantastic position through the whole team playing a part and doing what they can, and we just have to keep pushing through.

“Saturday was just one of those days where everything went our way, and mine in particular. Everyone did their job well.”

After being asked to bat on a green strip in damp and overcast conditions, Dawson and Haines seemed to be forging a stand of some significance before Paul Rowley took a sharp catch at short leg to dismiss the dangerous Hampshire youngster.

However, Edwards deputised ably, and at 120-1 at drinks Goatacre had the platform to mount a second-half charge.

Contributions throughout the middle order helped post a target of 209 at a required rate of little more than five an over.

“We sat down at half time and thought 209 was a good total, but we knew they had the batsmen capable of getting it,” said Gibbens, who within a matter of minutes after tea had sent four of the Lechlade top five back to the pavilion.

Brandon Handley choppped onto his own stumps, Paul Godding chipped to extra cover, Dawson held onto a stunning one -handed catch low to his left at second slip to get rid of Max Dawe, and George Brooksbank feathered an inside edge to Sam Parish’s gloves as the hosts’ reply was practically over before it had begun.

Stenner forced some respectability, clubbing four boundaries and a pair of maximums, but once he became Gibbens’ fifth victim, hoiking a long-hop to Ed Wilkins out deep at square leg for 43, the last line of defence had been breeched.

Gibbens began the mopping up process by trapping Archie Brooksbank plumb lbw on the back foot and completed the second-best haul of his career with a jagging delivery which took the top of Kieran Gandhi’s off stump.

But for 10 wides, his statistics could have been breathtaking.

“It was just going right for me,” Gibbens said. “But we had to do everything right in the field as well, and we did.

“Sometimes you have days like that and you enjoy them, but we had to get the runs and take the catches as well.

“We know that promotion is there for us to take now, and we have the capability to get it, but we need to see the opportunity through.”