ROYSTON secured an important win in their relegation battle at home to Ely on Saturday. Courtesy of a five wicket haul from Martin Leary, the Crows bowled the visitors out for 112 and knocked the runs off comfortably in 25 overs for the loss of only three

ROYSTON secured an important win in their relegation battle at home to Ely on Saturday.

Courtesy of a five wicket haul from Martin Leary, the Crows bowled the visitors out for 112 and knocked the runs off comfortably in 25 overs for the loss of only three wickets with 46 from Jamie Warren.

Winning the toss on a damp track was vital for the Crows, and stand-in captain Matt Graham put Ely into bat.

Opening with Chris Hootton and Paul Harris, Royston bowled well but struggled to make inroads in the opening 15 overs. Ely were going slowly but the bowling changes and the introduction of David Boddy brought the breakthrough, bowling opener Buck for 20.

Martin Leary then struck in the next over, bowling Farnaby for 19, but the real turning point came when Hatcher was fortuitously run out for a duck. Foster hit a firm straight drive, only for it to clip Leary's outstretched boot and clatter into the non-striker's stumps with Hatcher stranded.

Leary then turned the screw, backed by an attacking field he bowled a tight off-side line and capitalised on the mounting pressure to trap Foster lbw for only two.

Leary bowled Finch for one and then Warren caught Ladler behind the stumps from Leary and royston were on top with Ely on 58-6.

Nick Hootton then contributed an important spell and removed Wallace for seven.

At 60-7, Royston were confident of wrapping up proceedings quickly, however some resistance from the Ely tail took them to 112 all out with Leary getting five wickets.

In reply, the Crows opened with Marin Leary and Graham, however Leary couldn't replicate his feats with the ball and he was trapped lbw by Storey after only five overs.

Graham and Warren set the foundations for the win with Graham in particular looking in fine form early on as Royston cruised to 45 from 11 overs, but he then misjudged a paddle sweep from the spin of Foster and was bowled for 19 leaving Warren and Miller to take the game away from Ely.

Miller showed the kind of form that has been missing in recent weeks and clattered a big six on his way to 28 while Warren moved towards his half century.

However, it wasn't to be and he was left four short as Martyn Leek crashed the winning runs with a tennis style swat for four, Royston securing the 20 points with 20 overs to spare.

Yelling are up next at home on Saturday and Royston will hope to carry forward confidence from a strong all round performance that drags them further away from Linton at the bottom of the table.