WEPL
THORNBURY and Tewkesbury both secured West of England Premier League promotions with three games to spare after wrapping up their respective championships.
New Zealander Robbie O’Donnell powered his way to 142 from 136 (16 fours, five sixes) as Thornbury reached 258-5 away to Cheltenham in Premier Two Glos/Wilts, eventually going on to win by 15 runs and secure a return to Premier One.
And Tewkesbury are heading for Premier Two Glos/Wilts after dispatching Charlton Kings by 71 runs to ensure they have an unassailable lead at the top of the Gloucestershire division, Louis (75) and Josh Whjtmore (74) playing key innings before Sanath Jayawardhana followed up with figures of 4-31.
Back in the Glos/Wilts division, Dumbleton dropped a place to third with a four-wicket defeat at Corsham while Painswick slipped to fifth following a seven-wicket setback at Goatacre.
But Hatherley & Reddings triumphed by eight wickets at home to Royal Wootton Bassett, skipper Tom Hage claiming 4-9 from eight.
Chipping Sodbury consolidated second place in the Gloucestershire division after trumping Rockhampton by 89 runs, Eddie Holden returning 5-33 from 9.3.
Struggling Corse & Staunton dispatched Gloucester by five wickets, Zach Aulakh taking 4-36 from ten, Bourton Vale were two-wicket winners at Langford and Frocester 2nds squeezed out a one-wicket success at local rivals Stroud, Jeewaka Sashin top scoring on 72.
Bristol completed a six-wicket Premier One win at home to cross-city rivals Bishopston, Rishi Panchal claiming 4-34 from ten and Gloucestershire’s James Bracey hitting 104 from 95 (11 fours, five sixes).
Bottom side Frocester recorded their first victory since the opening Saturday of the season, stunning high flying Bridgwater by 26 runs as Richie Cave (4-50) and Ryan Kilmister (3-33 from ten) produced excellent spells.
Downend, the Premier Two Bristol/Somerset leaders, kept their nerve for a one-wicket victory away to Wellington while third-placed Golden Hill held off fellow high flyers Midsomer Norton by one run, spinners Ed Middleton (4-51 from ten) and Dan Broome (3-62 from nine) both in form.
OB Westbury and Knowle, the top two sides in Bristol & North Somerset, both tasted defeat.
Bradley Stoke completed a four-wicket home win against OBW, captain Dan Laver top scoring with 70, while Bristol 2nds edged Knowle by three wickets, Alan Hunt’s unbeaten 65 proving crucial for the relegation battlers.
Brislington 2nds defeated Bath by five wickets, captain Chris Munden top scoring on 70, and Bristol West Indian Phoenix in third overpowered Twyford House by 120 runs, captain Ashur Morrison’s unbeaten 101 from 77 featuring ten fours and five sixes.
GCCL
ANTHONY James powered his way to an unbeaten 190 – the highest individual score to date this season in the AMS Gloucestershire County League – and shared a stand of 277 with Alex Gooding (117) for Aston Ingham who cruised to a 186-run home win over Lydney.
The Division One pacemakers piled up 332-4 from their 45 after losing the toss, James facing 148 balls (26 fours, five sixes) while Gooding’s 117 came off 111 and included 14 fours and five sixes.
In reply, Lydney faded from 118-1 to 146 all out, Gus Carini-Roberts leading the charge with a haul of 5-18.
Second-placed Hawkesbury Upton saw off Kingsholm by five wickets, Jay Westwood taking 3-8 and finishing unbeaten on 60 while Thornbury 2nds, in third, were eight-wicket home victors against Chipping Campden with Luke Davis unbeaten on 63.
Hector Howard’s haul of 5-43 from nine helped bottom side Cirencester clinch a 73-run success away to Westbury-on-Severn.
Ben Holloway produced one of the bowling displays of the day to capture 5-8 from only five overs for Cam who dispatched Shurdington by ten wickets in Division Two where James Job shone for leaders Tetbury with a burst of 4-22 from nine in a 119-run triumph away to Rockhampton 2nds.
Ullenwood Bharat are now only three points behind Division Three pacesetters Dumbleton 2nds after a five-wicket away victory over their rivals, Jitesh Thammisetti top scoring on 51.
Spare a thought though, for home opener Arthur Sweeting who finished the innings unbeaten on 99 from 128 (nine fours, one six).
And also for Dan Huxstep who was unbeaten on 97 off 105 (12 fours, four sixes) for Frampton-on-Severn who went on to edge Chipping Sodbury 2nds by 12 runs.
Woodmancote, the Division Four leaders, emerged seven-wicket victors at Churchdown, Jason Gore top scoring on 56 while opener Ryan Hooper’s 70 was a highlight of second-placed Quedgeley & Hardwicke’s 18-run home defeat of Frocester 3rds.
In Division Five, Adrian Mayes (94) and Andy Bates (91) shared an unbroken second wicket stand of 176 for Cheltenham Civil Service 2nds who lost by 20 runs at home to Kingsholm 2nds.
For the visitors, Pavel Sharma hit 115 from 122 (11 fours) and shared an opening stand of 149 with Shaun Uthup (74).
Sohail Khan finished unbeaten on 110 from 93 (17 fours) for leaders Cheltenham 3rds who trumped Lydney 2nds by 211 runs, Sathya Prakash bagging 5-36.
King’s Stanley returned to the top of Division Six after beating Tormarton by 207, taking advantage of Langford 2nds’ 20-run reverse at Gloucester 2nds.
Tetbury 2nds, meanwhile, edged closer to the Division Seven title with a seven-wicket home victory against Hatherley & Reddings 3rds, Simon Baverstock top scoring on 58.
