Nik Lawton-Misra racked up 100 more runs as CV Chargers kept their foot on the gas with victories against two weakened opponents in group two of the Evening Cricket League.

Chargers followed up an eight-wicket win over PHC with a seven-wicket victory over High Flyaz to keep the pressure on Tuff Dogs, who are bidding to end Renegades’ two-year reign as league champions.

Renegades strengthened their place at the top of group one with a second successive walkover, while The Associates remained a clear second after defeating De Wicketest by four wickets.

Renegades picked up six easy points after PHC and High Flyaz forfeited matches and they were left twiddling their thumbs again this week after their match against Bailey’s Bay was postponed for a week as Sea Breeze Oval was unavailable.

“It’s disappointing as we need some game time before the play-offs [knockout] start,” said Ryan Miller, Renegades’ captain.

West XI, boosted by an unbeaten half-century from Steve Jones, left North Village rooted to the bottom of group two three points adrift of De Wicketest. Village also later lost to KPMG.

De Wicketest and High Flyaz have paid the price for fielding ineligible players in a recent fixture, the league ruling it a no-result, but a spokesman declined to elaborate.

With the league programme drawing to a close, Lawton-Misra followed up a century and 78 in his two previous knocks with 44 against seven-man PHC and 56 not out against eight-man High Flyaz.

After restricting PHC to 115 for two, Chargers knocked off the runs with four overs to spare, Fergus Morrison assisting Lawton-Misra’s victory drive with an unbeaten 29.

“It’s always a great contest when Chargers face PHC. Unfortunately this time around they weren’t able to field a full side which made this contest a little one-sided,” Somers Carr, Chargers’ spokesman, said.Arthur Richards, the PHC spokesman, put his side’s shortage of players down to “work commitments, family vacations and preseason football training”.In the second win, Adam Somekh took three for 24 from four overs as Chargers put the brakes on High Flyaz, limiting them to 84 for seven from 15 overs with Roland Rhones making top score of 31.

Lawton-Misra then struck an unbeaten 56 as Chargers romped to their target after using up only half of their available overs.

Carr added: “A combination of great fielding and catching plus a slightly weakened High Flyaz team allowed for a run chase that our guys saw off with ease.”

John Pitcher, the High Flyaz spokesman, said of his side’s woes: “We have players off-island, out sick and injured.”

Tom Edwards and Will Tyrrell teamed up to get The Associates over the line with an over to spare, despite Rian Lindo’s three for 34, after De Wicketest made 107 for eight.

Edwards finished on 35 not out while Tyrrell made 34.

West XI held off North Village by 20 runs after Jones’s 67 not out steered them to 133 for four.

Derwin Adams made 34 in Village’s 113 for eight as Brandon Ray, Sivakumar Senthamaraikannan and newcomer Raj Queb picked up two wickets apiece for West XI.

KPMG beat North Village by 42 runs, a sixth-wicket stand of 55 off 33 balls between Paul Botes and Ricky Uppal leading the way and “getting us to a decent total”, Michael Campbell, the winning captain, said.

Botes made 33 and Uppal 23 before KPMG restricted Village to 103 for six in reply, despite a 39-ball 53 from No 4 Tareek Jennings, which included four sixes and two fours, and 20 from Richard Todd.“Our opening bowlers strangled their batting and held Village to 16 for two off six overs. They were always chasing the run rate after that,” Campbell said.Srijan Sehgal was the pick of the KPMG attack with two for eight and “Craig Munden was equally miserly, going for only 12 runs off his four overs”.

Derwin Adams was Village’s best bowler with three for 26.

Village, who face Tuff Dogs in their final match with just a solitary win over De Wicketest to their credit so far, have vowed to come back stronger next season having returned following a two-year break.

“This is the first season after Covid, so our players are happy just to be out and enjoying the game,” Andrew Griffith, Village’s captain, who missed the KPMG game, said.

“In the past we would spend a bit of time in the nets and have some informal practices. That has not happened this season. and has shown in our results.“Next year we will be more prepared and hopefully offer more competition to our opponents.“But it is also a testament to the Evening Cricket League. There are very good players who play on all teams, so all teams have to play well to have a chance to win games.”

Shelly Bay (PHC won toss): PHC (seven men) 115-2 (16 overs); CV Chargers 117-2 (12 overs; Nik Lawton-Misra 44). CV Chargers beat PHC by eight wickets.

Shelly Bay (West XI won toss): West XI 133 for four (Steve Jones 67 not out); North Village 113-8 (16 overs; Derwin Adams 34). West XI beat North Village by 20 runs.

Shelly Bay (KPMG won toss): KPMG 145-6 (16 overs; Paul Botes 34; Derwin Adams 3 for 26); North Village 103-6 (16 overs; Tareek Jennings 53). KPMG beat North Village by 42 runs.