EWAN Gegg produced a tremendous individual display, hitting a century and following up with five wickets, as Stroud completed a 53-run victory away to Langford in WEPL’s Gloucestershire division.
Batting at five, the all-rounder plundered 133 from 103 (ten fours, nine sixes) to dominate his side’s challenge of 255.
And Gegg followed up with figures of 5-32 from nine overs of spin as Langford went down to a fifth successive defeat.
It was much tighter at Frocester 2nds where Bourton Vale kept their promotion hopes alive with a nerve-tingling one run victory.
The home side appeared to be in full control at 239-8 as the final over began, needing one run to tie and two for the win.
But visiting skipper and leg spinner Darrel Williams bowled a dot ball, grabbed a wicket with an enticing second delivery that produced a stumping and then sent down two more ‘dots’ before a run out sparked great scenes of celebration.
Lysander Tarrant (64) and Williams (50 not) earlier top scored for Bourton Vale while opener Hari Jayasekara thumped 108 off only 71 (15 fours, five sixes) to give the Frocester reply a strong start before falling to Max Shepherd (3-19 from ten) while there were also three wickets for Liam Webb.
Leaders Chipping Sodbury eased past lowly Gloucester by seven wickets, Jack Harman grabbing 4-26 – including three wickets in his first over – and opener Rohan Wijeratne unbeaten on 61.
Charlton Kings trumped Aston Ingham by five wickets, captain Charlie Watkins unbeaten on 89, while Hawkesbury Upton condemned Thornbury 2nds to a tenth place finish with a 98-run victory, Kudzai Maunze hitting 82 and claiming 3-29.
In Premier One, Frocester went down by five wickets away to high flying Bedminster while fellow strugglers Downend were rushed out for 173 and a ten wicket humbling at Potterne.
It was a tough day also for Bristol who succumbed by 23 runs at Burbage & Easton Royal while Thornbury came up ten runs short away to bottom side Taunton St Andrews.
Bishopston remain in relegation trouble in Premier Two Bristol/Somerset following a four-wicket defeat away to bottom side Taunton while Golden Hill remain third despite a three-wicket home setback against struggling Keynsham.
Dumbleton, the Premier Two Glos/Wilts pacesetters, bounced back from defeat last week with a 164-run home thumping of Cheltenham, Archie Bailey and Ross Martin taking three wickets apiece.
Hatherley & Reddings edged Chippenham by 32 runs, opener Noah Bennett shining with 77 while George MacDuff’s 108 from 145 (14 fours) paved the way for Painswick to defeat Purton by 24 runs, Jack Hobbis following up with 4-29 from ten.
Tewkesbury, though, came up 25 runs short at home to Goatacre despite the efforts of Tom Stevens who took 4-22 from six and was then run out for 50.
Twyford House are clear of the pack in Bristol & North Somerset following a six wicket win away to Bristol West Indian Phoenix with whom they shared top spot at the start of the day, Zora Singh (53 not, Parik Shetty (47) and Mark Fowler (45) shining in the run chase.
Brislington moved up to second with a 59-run derby triumph at Knowle, Josh Whitemore bagging 4-33 from ten.
Bristol Pakistanis overcame Pak Bristolians by three wickets to complete a fourth successive win that lifted them up to seventh while Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury were 30-run home victors against Frenchay, Cam Hawkins top scoring on 88.
And Bedminster 2nds edged their Bristol counterparts by 36 runs, Alex Bindloss inflicting the damage with figures of 6-36 from ten.
JACK Cowles continued his tremendous run of form for Newent with 86 to help secure a seven wicket home victory over bottom side Dymock in Division Three of the Gloucestershire Cricket League.
The opener went into the game on the back of scores of 129 no, 88 and 190 no before once again taking centre stage.
Cowles has now scored a league-leading 1,201 runs this summer, cracking six half centuries and four tons, for an outstanding average of 109.1.
Leaders Woodmancote saw off Quedgeley & Hardwicke, who started the day second, by three wickets with Ben Herd (67) and Jason Gore (62) amongst the runs.
And this result enabled Gloucester AIW to go second instead, dismissing Rockhampton 2nds for 122 and cruising in by ten wickets, Mo Jabbar unbeaten on 67 and Abu Saleh hitting 52.
Corse & Staunton, the Division One pacesetters, romped in by nine wickets away to third-placed Cheltenham Civil Service, Te Shawn Zyun Alleyne smashing 86 not out.
Cheltenham 2nds remain second despite a four-wicket reverse at home to Rockhampton, Fin Sherred-Isles (4-43) and Mikey Chandler (58) playing key roles.
One of the innings of the day came at Tetbury where opener Tom Wand smashed an unbeaten 147 from 129 (20 fours, eight sixes), paving the way for a 216-run home hammering of Lydney.
Lowly Cam stunned Division Two leaders Dumbleton 2nds with a two-wicket win, Ed Paddock standing firm with an unbeaten 65.
And this result gave Apperley the chance to leapfrog into pole position following a 111-run triumph at home to Hatherley & Reddings 2nds, Sam Fitzmaurice grabbing 4-20 from nine.
Tewkesbury 2nds chased down a target of 244 at Westbury-on-Severn to go second and deny Devin Rogers whose 113 not out from 101 included 15 fours and two sixes.
Charlton Kings 2nds lost ground on Division Four leaders Cheltenham 3rds with a 62-run reverse at Cranham for whom Ed Mobbs (81) and Dan Booth-Howe (65) shared an unbroken stand of 158.
And at the other end of the table, Cricklade remain bottom despite a 16-run home triumph against Kingsholm 2nds, opener Chris Nicholas top scoring on 58.
Martyn Kimber finished with 4-22 from eight for Division Five pacesetters King’s Stanley who dispatched lowly Minchinhampton by seven wickets.
And in Division Nine B, opener Ahmedi Saleh hit 104 for Gloucester AIW 2nds who defeated Newent Lions by 149 runs, Taqerrub Sayeed finishing with 3-16 from four.
Leaders Andoversford romped past Winchcombe 2nds by 138 runs, Nigel Chatambarra cracking 107 and then taking 4-23, Jack Bain supporting with 4-18.
