KPMG, bottom of group two, sprang the biggest surprise in the latest round of Evening Cricket League matches when they toppled leaders West XI, but High Flyaz pair Shawn Riley and Derwin Adams also caught the eye with a half-century apiece to spearhead a seven-wicket victory over PHC and knocks of 40 that helped give defending champions Renegades a run for their money.

Renegades’ three-wicket win with five balls to spare stretched their lead in group one to 12 points, albeit from a game more than De Wicketest, who lost ground when they were outmanoeuvred by CV Chargers.

It proved to be a week of mixed fortunes for Chargers having earlier lost in the last over to The Associates, who now trail West XI by a single point.

KPMG’s second win of the season was offset by a nine-wicket defeat by Fine Leg Byes.

Third-placed High Flyaz enjoyed earlier success, romping to a seven-wicket win with 14 balls to spare while chasing PHC’s 136 for one, highlighted by half-centuries from Matthew Fullerton and Antwan Russell.

“Our guys dug deep for the win which keeps us in the play-offs hunt,” John Pitcher, High Flyaz’s team manager, said after the game.

Daniel Lourens and Henry Brinsford were the architects of KPMG’s seven-wicket win over West XI. Lourens claimed four for 20 and then added 22 not out after Brinsford made 47 as they overhauled the group leaders’ 105 for eight — in which Jeet Singh, who later took two for 16, made top score of 26 — with three balls to spare.

KPMG had no answer to Fine Leg Byes, however, after Henry Banks, with 29, helped them post 100 for seven. An unbeaten 44 from in-form Ricky Waldron, coupled with William Stuart’s 26 not out, engineered a last-over victory, David Gibbons having shackled KPMG with three for 21.

High Flyaz’s Riley and Adams led the charge against PHC, Riley smashing eight fours and two sixes in his 33-ball 64 while Adams struck three fours and two sixes in his 36-ball 53 not out in their side’s 140 for three, Mike Smith taking two for 21.

The earlier fireworks came from Fullerton, whose 48-ball unbeaten 64 included five sixes and four fours, and Russell, who struck five fours and two sixes in his 58.

Forty apiece from Riley and Adams provided the backbone of High Flyaz’s 105 for six against Renegades, but 30 from Nathan Clarke, who also took three for 18, and an unbeaten 25 from Durnferd Davis got the leaders home, victory sealed by a final-over wide from Prizol Mascarenhas.

“They played really well and it was a very close game,” Davis said.

Rowan McLean propped up CV Chargers with 37 in their 85 for eight against The Associates, who eased home with four balls to spare despite Tom Mills’s two for 25.

Somers Carr, Chargers’ regular captain who missed the game, said: “It was another agonising loss in the last over of the match.”

He was far happier after his return to the side, making 30 not out, and his brother Piers 47, as Chargers put the brakes on De Wicketest — the only team to beat Renegades this season — to post a 23-run victory despite Paul Carr’s 35 not out.

Greg Rose also had a big hand in the victory, smashing four sixes in a ten-ball unbeaten 29 before taking two for 30.

“It was a solid all-round performance from our boys,” Carr said. “Feels good to snap our losing streak, especially against De Wicketest, who have been on fire this season.”

The top two teams in each group, plus the next best two teams, will head to the play-offs for the season-ending knockout, won for the past two years by The Associates.

Group one

Shelly Bay (PHC won toss): PHC 135-1 (16 overs; Matthew Fullerton 64 not out; Antwan Russell 58); High Flyaz 140-3 (13.4 overs; Shawn Riley 64, Derwin Adams 53). High Flyaz won) by seven wickets.

Shelly Bay (CV Chargers won toss): 133-4 (16 overs; Piers Carr 47, Somers Carr 30); De Wicketest 110-3 (16 overs; Paul Carr 35 not out). CV Chargers won by 23 runs.

Shelly Bay (High Flyaz won toss): High Flyaz 105-6 (16 overs; Shawn Riley 40, Derwin Adams 40; Nathan Clarke 3 for 18); Renegades 106-7 (15.1 overs; Nathan Clarke 30). Renegades won by three wickets.

Group two

Shelly Bay (West XI won toss): West XI 105-8 (16 overs; Daniel Lourens 4 for 20); KPMG 106-3 (15.3 overs; Henry Brinsford 47). KPMG won by seven wickets.

Shelly Bay (Fine Leg Byes won toss): KPMG 100-7 (16 overs; David Gibbons 3 for 21), Fine Leg Byes 101-1 (15.2 overs; Ricky Waldron 44 not out). Fine Leg Byes won by nine wickets.

Groups one/two

Shelly Bay (CV Chargers won toss): CV Chargers 85-8 (16 overs; Rowan McLean 37); The Associates 86-6 (15.2 overs). The Associates won by four wickets.