VIDEO: Resting leaders done favour by men of Kent

Streat made 227-9 in their 47 overs but it was nowhere near enough as hosts Edenbridge chased it down to win with seven wickets to spare.

Reigning champions Ashdown Forest did virtually all they could to keep faint hopes alive with a five-wicket win at Preston Nomads III, where more than 500 runs were scored.

Runs were much harder to come by at Palmers where the hosts squeezed home by two wickets chasing a modest Colemans Hatch total of 136 that owed much to Pip Marshall’s unbeaten 50.

Ollie Ferns took 5-39 before Steve Donelan (40) and Nugent Brown (33no) led the chase.

Balcombe won by five wickets at Poynings where Harvey Mitchell (5-74 off 18), Adrian Ruzicka (4-57 off 19.2) and John Manning (88) were the heroes.

It is tight in Division 2 where only 17 points separate the bottom six and Dormansland took over top spot from East Grinstead III.

Steve Morley’s maiden five-wicket haul (5-15) rushed out hosts Hurstpierpoint for 86 before Dormansland romped home by nine wickets as Michael Phillips hit an unbeaten 57.

Grinstead failed to bowl out their hosts Balcombe II after setting a target of 281-8, scored in only 43 overs.

Jack Emmerson (58) and Harvey James (5-18) carried Horsted Keynes to a comfortable win at Chailey, while Staplefield were no match for Bolney’s Peter Kaal (58), James Flower (43) and Dave Chaffey (4-43).

The other match was drawn as Rob Cooke (82no in 174-9) defied hosts Cuckfield III after Damian Cummins (57) and Andy Middleton (46) posted a target of 219-9.

Division 3 leaders Roffey extended their advantage by winning at Lindfield III while second-placed Cowden were losing at Ardingly.

It was close for Roffey after they were bowled out for 131 before Jim Barnes (5-59) sent Lindfield crashing to 124 all out.

John Hopkins hit an unbeaten 122 as Ardingly set visitors Cowden a target of 239-3 to chase. Abhi Lohakare (6-24) then bowled out the visitors for 212 despite Dan Hancock’s half century.

Preston Nomads IV kept their title hopes alive with full points at Turners Hill, who were bowled out for 109. Justin Schildkamp (59no) and Protap Dasgupta (41no) then completed a 10-wicket win.

Alex Martin (85no), Rishi Amin (4-19) and Ben Crook (4-69) set up Copthorne’s win at East Grinstead IV, for whom Max Turner hit 57.

In Division 4 Crawley Down II beat leaders Ditchling III by seven wickets to narrow the deficit to just six points. An opening stand of 102 between Simon Rawden (43) and Neil Jackson (42) ensured a comfortable win after Adam Robinson (6-23) and Jez Farley (4-32) bowled out Ditchling for117 in the 33rd over.

There were two tons at Cowfold where Danny Weller (115no) and Mark Swetman (55) helped the hosts to a five-wicket win after Cuckfield’s Caleb Hawkins (111) set a big target of 265-4.

Lindfield IV rushed out Palmers II for 47 but honours were even at Streat II where Nigel Butler (55) denied SJM III after fifties from Tim Hutchinson (65no) and Ben Vary (55no).

There is still only one point in it at the top of Division 5.