BROTHERS Andy and Simon Weeks both cracked maiden WEPL centuries as Thornbury 2nds ended their long wait for a first win of the summer, chasing down a target of 304 at home to their Frocester counterparts in the Gloucestershire division.
Harindu Jayasekara had earlier smashed 181 off just 128 (19 fours, 10 sixes) to dominate the visitors’ imposing total of 303-9, George Wrigley capturing 4-51.
But it proved to be well within range for Thornbury who finally broke their duck, and in some style with more than five overs to spare.
Skipper Andy was first to go, for 138 from 133 (18 fours and a six) in a partnership of 283 while Simon fell one run later for 117 from 122 (17 fours, three sixes).
The new leaders are Chipping Sodbury who went top with an eight-wicket success away to previously unbeaten leaders Bourton Vale.
The home side, who won the toss, slipped from 106-5 to 126 all out, Jamie Rendell capturing 4-8 from 7.3 overs of spin.
And openers Rohan Wijeratne (62) and skipper Tom Laver (36) then wasted no time in wrapping up the points in 19 overs.
Newcomers Aston Ingham are up to third after trumping Langford by 92 runs, Mikey Gooch claiming 4-27 from eight while Charlton Kings were three-wicket victors at Hawkesbury Upton, Karan Sharma shining with a haul of 4-33, and Gloucester edged Stroud by three wickets, wicketkeeper Joe Sligh digging in for an unbeaten 57.
Maz Khan had an outstanding day with ball and then bat as Premier One newcomers Downend saw off Bath by seven wickets at the WG Grace Memorial Ground.
Khan was the pick of the Downend attack, finishing with 5-49 from ten overs of left-arm spin, as the visitors’ challenge faded to 219 all out after winning the toss.
In reply, Downend lost an early wicket before Khan and Zaman Shafi (31) shared a stand of 105 while an unbroken partnership of 89 between captain Callum Loud (57) and Khan then wrapped up the points.
The all-rounder, appropriately, reached his century with the match-winning boundary, finishing on 103 off 158 (16 fours and a six) as Downend wrapped up their third win since being promoted.
Promoted Thornbury are back up to third courtesy of a seven-wicket win away to Frocester, opener Chris Gibson unbeaten on 118 from 127 (16 fours, three sixes).
But Bristol slipped into the bottom two following a 55-run reverse away to high-flying neighbours Bedminster.
Captain Myles Holland bludgeoned 102 from 63 (eight fours, eight sixes) and followed up with 3-41 from ten for Dumbleton who trumped Tewkesbury by 44 runs in Premier Two Glos & Wilts.
Hatherley & Reddings dispatched struggling Purton by six wickets, Ben McShane bagging 6-49 from ten, while Painswick were 75-run victors at Cheltenham, Alastair Conolly finishing with 5-50.
Brislington are the new leaders of Bristol & North Somerset after overcoming previous pacesetters Twyford House by four wickets.
Opener Henry King (75) and tail ender Alex Wilson (65 not) lifted Twyford to 296-9 after winning the toss at home.
And Josh Whitemore (75 not) and opener Milo Ayres (69) then got Bris over the line with eight balls to spare.
Bristol West Indian Phoenix are up to second following a 66-run victory away to Frenchay which featured a tremendous 139 from 125 (22 fours, two sixes) from captain Ashur Morrison and Neiland Cadogan’s burst of 4-42.
Andy Rasemene’s spell of 4-29 and 3-31 by skipper Oli Haynes ensured a 179-run win at Bedminster 2nds for Knowle who are up to fourth.
And Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury were 30-run winners at promoted Pak Bristolians where Cam Hawkins crashed an unbeaten 129 from 108 (15 fours, four sixes).
Dan Laver also weighed in with 69 and followed up with three wickets.
Bristol Pakistanis remain bottom of the table after a seven-wicket home reverse against Bristol 2nds for whom opener Shazil Mustafa top scored on 57.
PHIL Hayward finished with 6-13 from only four overs as Barnsley Beeches breezed past Tetbury 3rds by 190 runs to remain unbeaten at the top of Division Eight C in the Gloucestershire Cricket League.
Shankar Sundaramahalingam (3-51) made early inroads for Barnsley before Hayward tidied up with the second best bowling figures this summer throughout the entire competition.
Earlier, the home side reached 314-7 from their 40 after winning the toss, Sundaramahalingam giving the innings late momentum with an unbeaten 86 from just 38.
It was a memorable day also for Harry Kilby who captured 6-14 from eight for Poulton 2nds in a 108-run home victory against Haresfield Gladiators in Division Seven B.
And in Nine A, Tom Rudd bagged 6-21 from seven for Yorkley Star who edged Parkend 2nds by nine runs.
Over in 9C, meanwhile, Sohan Handaragamage’s burst of 6-29 from eight secured a 103-run triumph for Andoversford 2nds at home to Kingsholm 3rds.
Ollie Norman finished with 6-46 for Division One strugglers Redmarley who bowled out Cheltenham 2nds for 272, but still finished on the losing side in a 31-run setback.
Leaders Corse & Staunton trumped Cirencester by seven wickets, skipper Tim Dannatt compiling an unbeaten 126 from 101 (11 fours, six sixes).
And opener Jon Kear’s 125 off 131 (18 fours, one six) helped Lydney to an exciting three-run home success over Rockhampton whose top scorer was Rowan Cartlidge (65).
Opener Theo Nicholson smashed 148 off 125 (22 fours, three sixes) for Cranham in a 42-run victory away to Stroud 2nds in Division Four.
And in Seven B, captain Chris Gilchrist led from the front with a tremendous 154 from 87 (ten fours, 14 sixes) for Swindon United Churches who edged Stinchcombe Stragglers by four runs.
Jake Nickell led Hatherley & Reddings 3rds to a memorable seven-wicket success away to Painswick in Division Six A.
The opener thumped an unbeaten 146 off 105 (26 fours, one six) as the visitors reached a target of 237 with seven overs to spare.
Runs came at an even quicker rate at Oldbury-on-Severn who piled up 432-2 from their 40 at home to Stinchcombe 2nds in Division Nine E.
Captain Ollie Cooper retired on 142 from just 65 (22 fours, nine sixes) and Alex Riggs also retired after reaching exactly 100 off 41 (seven fours, nine sixes).
Stinchcombe, in reply, were eventually all out for 193, Dan Scott top scoring on 44.
Dumbleton 2nds remain top of Division Two despite a two-wicket away defeat at their Tewkesbury counterparts who are now only two points behind.
