ILMINSTER skipper Sam Spurway hit a superb century on Saturday as his side chalked-up a 39-run victory over Chippenham in Premier Two of the West of England Cricket League.

Chippenham won the toss and decided to put the visitors into bat and Ilminster’s South African batsman Louis Kraucamp soon got among the runs.

The first wicket to fall was that of opener Wil Spurway for one with the score having totted along to 40-1.

That soon became 42-2 when Kraucamp went for 27 and Craig Rice was not far behind when he returned to the pavilion having been dismissed for a single to leave Ilminster wobbling on 48-3.

But skipper Spurway remained at the crease and he and Rob Hutchings added 45 before the latter departed for 18.

Johnny Hurford, Dan Vining and Matt Burfield all departed cheaply as Ilminster struggled to 144-7 and Chippenham were probably already thinking of victory.

But Spurway led from the front and attacked the bowlers and with valuable support from Richard Elswood they put on 72 for the eighth wicket before Elswood was dismissed for 20.

Spurway was the final wicket to fall when on 117 which he had plundered off of just 112 balls and consisted of 12 boundaries and three big sixes.

Ilminster closed on 228-9 from their 46 overs.

Chippenham made a steady start in their reply and reached 22 without loss before Tom Young departed when he was clean bowled by Adam Cox for three.

Ilminster made it 48-2 when skipper Spurway caught behind Andrew Wilson off the bowling of Richard Elswood.

But the key to the game was the introduction of Rob Hutchings to the bowling attack as he took 4-41 with the next four wickets to leave Chippenham stuttering on 56-6.

Lee Ward and Paul Bates dug in and looked to be getting Chippenham out of trouble before Bates fell for 61 off the bowling of James Thompson.

Ward remained, but he was losing partners at the other end and was undefeated on 42, having come off of 103 balls, before his team were left stranded on 189-9.

It was a good win for Ilminster and saw them remain third in the Premier Two table. Spurway will be hoping to maintain that winning momentum this weekend when they play host to fourth-placed Keynsham at Canal Way.