Three early wickets in five devastating balls wrecked March Town’s chances of success on Saturday at Waresley - one of only two sides they have beaten in Whiting & Partners Division One this season.

At 29-4 the match was virtually gone, although skipper Tyler Phillips produced an unbeaten 44 at number seven in the all out total of 138. Clinton Bricker and Spencer Saberton each made 23, as only five of the team got into double figures.

Things didn’t go a lot better after tea as six catches were downed during what resulted in a seven wicket defeat. Saberton had a hand in all three wickets to fall - the first a run out and the last two in figures of 2-46.

On a more positive note for March, closest rivals Histon gained no points at Wisbech, and March were able to close the gap to 33 points to climb out of the bottom two. They will hope to reduce that gap even further tomorrow afternoon when they take on Histon in a bottom-of-the-table clash (12.30pm).

March’s second side’s woes also continued thanks to a 105 run defeat at The Avenue by CCA Senior League Division Two leaders Old Leysians.

The match was reduced to 40 overs per side due to the wet weather, with the visitors smashing 235-6 off their allocation.

That total proved to be too many for March, who recovered from 36-4 to finish on 130-8, with Curtis Oldroyd top-scoring with 34, closely followed by Manuj Patel with 32.

An excellent knock of 91 from vice-skipper Brandon Phillips fired up March’s Sunday XI to get their championship-chasing form back on track in the Rutland League Division Two.

Phillips only took 64 balls to plunder his runs in the four wicket victory away to Newborough, as March chased down 218 in just 35 overs. He figured in a 93-run second wicket stand with the in-form Curtis Oldroyd, who hit his top score at this level of 45.

Before tea the visitors employed no less than nine bowlers - both Adam Conyard and Steve Coe finishing with identical figures of 3-17 in Newborough’s all out total of 214.