DUMBLETON held their nerve in a pulsating finish to clinch a dramatic two run win at Tewkesbury to stay top of WEPL Premier Two Glos/Wilts and remain in control of their promotion destiny with just one more round of games to go.
The home side lost their last three wickets in only five balls as Dumbleton pulled the victory out of the fire to remain 11 points clear of nearest rivals Goatacre, who triumphed by two wickets at Royal Wootton Bassett … who Dumbleton now host on Saturday.
Tewkesbury’s Wade Ridsdale claimed 6-24 and was a helpless spectator at the other end on 19 as the late wickets fell, Angus Catto grabbing two late strikes after earlier spells from Dan Hammond (3-22) and Ross Martin (3-39).
Hatherley & Reddings saw off Purton by 59 runs, Ganesh Gadugu unbeaten on 99, while Painswick edged Cheltenham by one wicket, opener Reece Morris shining with 124 from 93 (18 fours, four sixes).
In Premier One, Bristol trumped high flying Bedminster by 22 runs, Jake Carstens hitting 38 and following up 3-36 while Frocester squeaked in by one wicket at Thornbury, Wil CORRECT Foley top scoring on 77. Downend’s relegation was confirmed with a 180-run reverse away to Bath.
Relegation battling Bishopston, meanwhile, rushed to an eight-wicket derby win at Golden Hill in Premier Two Bristol/Somerset, Ed Nuttall bagging 3-22 and Arnold Otwani cracking 69.
Bish now wrap up their campaign with a home clash against champions Midsomer Norton.
Chipping Sodbury remain five points clear at the top of the Gloucestershire division despite a five wicket home defeat against nearest rivals Bourton Vale.
Will Faulkner finished with 3-27 for the visitors while Mark Whitney dug to hit a crucial unbeaten 67 for Bourton who now host Langford while Sodbury travel to relegated Thornbury 2nds.
Charlton Kings trumped Hawkesbury Upton by seven runs, rallying from 21-4 with Charlie Hunte (57) and Matt Gibson (45 not) taking centre stage.
Frocester 2nds were 126-run victors at home to Thornbury while Langford ended a run of six successive defeats with a two wicket home victory over Aston Ingham and Gloucester made it two in a row with a four wicket success at Stroud, Raju Devandran starring with a return of 4-16 from eight.
Brislington are the new leaders of Bristol & North Somerset and in pole position for promotion after defeating second-placed Twyford House while leaders Bristol West Indian Phoenix went down by 80 runs against Frenchay.
Francisco Couana crunched 112 from 94 (nine fours, six sixes) in a Bris challenge of 282-9 ahead of Twyford finishing well short on 245 despite Elliot Bevan’s 103 from 145 (14 fours, one six).
Tyrone Isitt thumped 86 to dominate Frenchay’s challenge of 244 at BWIP who never recovered from an excellent opening burst by Rishabh Singh who finished with 6-19.
It’s also very tight at the other end of the table. Pak Bristolians edged up a place to eighth, ending a run of five successive defeats with a six wicket win away to fellow strugglers Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury, Ismail Zia finishing with 4-19 from ten.
But Bristol 2nds remain bottom despite a six wicket home win against Bristol Pakistanis, Graham Herring (97) heading the run chase while Knowle saw off Bedminster 2nds by 22 runs, Mark Coombes batting all 45 overs for an unbeaten 77 from 129.
WESTBURY-on-Severn 3rds ended their long wait for a first win of the summer with a comprehensive eight-wicket triumph at home to Alvington & Woolaston in Division Nine A of the Gloucestershire League.
The home side, who won the toss, restricted Alvington to a total of 173 all out thanks to the efforts of Harry Hyett who took 3-36 and the support of Chris Wyman and Fletcher Young who both claimed two wickets.
Westbury then knocked off the required runs with six overs to spare to break their duck in style.
Pete Timmins produced an outstanding spell of 6-19 from eight for Parkend 2nds who trumped Yorkley Star by five wickets while champions Ruardean Hill 2nds were three wicket home victors against Lydney 3rds, Dan Matthews capturing 3-19 from eight.
Cheltenham 2nds, the leaders of Division One, trumped bottom side Redmarley by 147 runs, Thiwanka Kekulawala cracking an unbeaten 103 off 90 (11 fours) and following up with 5-26.
With one more round of games to go, his side are five points clear of nearest rivals Corse & Staunton who overcame Cirencester by 54 runs, Tristan Maree and Ed Goolden both taking three wickets.
Cheltenham conclude their campaign with a trip to Chipping Campden while Corse will entertain Rockhampton.
Division Two pacesetters Apperley defeated Ullenwood Bharat by six wickets, Ethan Currin top scoring on 75, while second placed Tewkesbury 2nds squeezed in by one wicket away to fellow high flyers Dumbleton 2nds.
The heroes were the last wicket pairing of Dom Webb and Sanath Jayawardhana who shared an unbroken stand of 19 to seal the points with four balls to spare.
Woodmancote edged closer towards the Division Three silverware with an eight wicket victory away to Newent that featured an unbeaten 108 from 96 (17 fours, one six) from opener Ade Stenner.
But spare a thought for his Newent counterpart Jack Cowell who dug in for his fifth ton of the campaign, reaching 123 from 110 (16 fours, three sixes) to dominate his side’s challenge of 198-7.
Gloucester AIW, meanwhile, stay second following a five wicket win away to Bourton Vale 2nds, Vasif Muzavar taking 4-43 from eight and Mo Jabbar top scoring on 54.
King’s Stanley sealed the Division Five title with a 40-run home success over Langford 2nds, opener Josh Gray taking centre stage with 123 from 117 (21 fours, one six) before Jason Huxstep bagged 5-24 from eight.
Nearest rivals Sheepscombe slipped up by six runs at home to Parkend despite a battling unbeaten 86 from Jack Thomas.
One of the bowling performances of the day came in Division Nine D where Dan Heads captured 7-16 from just 6.3 overs for Cricklade 2nds in a 77-run victory away to Birdlip & Brimpsfield for whom Ankur Nautiyal had earlier claimed 5-23 from eight.
