KILVE threw the race for Division One honours wide open with a crushing seven wicket victory over the previously undefeated competition leaders on Saturday.

The Wellington wicket had been under water on Thursday and Ian Wheatley had no hesitation in asking the home side to bat when the coin fell his way.

With humid conditions encouraging swing and a spicy wicket to bowl on Sylvester looked at his best and the final ball of his opening over removed the dangerous Jones and he followed up with the scalp of Salter in his next over. After four overs of frenetic cricket Wellington were 22-2.

Suppiah seemed determined to try and dominate the bowling, charging Sylvester and heaving across the line but he succeeded only in top edging to short fine leg where Wheatley ran from slip to accept the catch.

Hewitt and Moyes put their heads down to try and consolidate the innings and looked quite secure until Dave Cobb jagged an offcutter between Hewitt's bat and pad to reduce the home side to 48-4. Cobb struck again in his next over when Saunders fended to Manchip in the gully and Kilve were cock a hoop at 52-5.

The agricultural Goodman hit out with some success but Browning's running catch ended his assault. Amidst the clatter of wickets opener Moysey had stood firm for 28 overs, but Reid tempted him into chasing a wide one and Manchip's one handed catch in the gully left his side in tatters at 69-7.

Just six runs later Fishlock played all around one from Reid and Kilve fancied chasing 80 or less. However, the wicket was drying out and Rudd quickly looked at home as he played straight and punished anything overpitched. He and Coleman looked untroubled in adding 29 and the pair took the score beyond 100 frustrating Kilve's hopes of a quick end to the innings.

Wheatley's spin provided a change of pace and the wicket as Mark Troman held a stinging catch at square leg, and number 11 Dyke hung on for five overs before holing out to mid-on to see his side dismissed for 112.

Browning's catch was the eighth of the innings in what was a near faultless Kilve fielding display, one that supported the quality bowling of Sylvester and Cobb in particular.

Chasing small targets can be tricky but Browning and Wheatley decided to wipe as many off as quickly as they could. Both found the boundary as Kilve sped to 35-0 after seven overs.

This rapid start appeared to take all heart from the Wellington side and though Browning was dismissed at 42 there seemed an inevitability about the Kilve run chase.

Wheatley quickly stroked his way to 37 but with the total on 61 was bowled around his legs sweeping Suppiah who was extracting generous if slow turn.

Despite these losses Kilve did not falter with Lloyd (30 no) picking up risk free runs and Dave Cobb casting aside the shackles to pepper the boundary rope six times in a quickfire knock which took his side to the brink of victory.

Despite the loss of Cobb at 108 there was to be no denying Kilve as they cruised home in the 33rd over, securing maximum points, leaving them the only undefeated team in the division and just six points behind Wellington with five matches to play.

Wellington: 112 (S Rudd 28 no, R Moysey 27, A Reid 3-36, P Sylvester 3-36, I Wheatley 2-7, D Cobb 2-25).

Kilve: 116-3 (I Wheatley 37, S Lloyd 30 no, D Cobb 26, A Suppiah 3-40).

Points: Wellington 4 Kilve 25.