WEPL Glos/Wilts Division

Gloucester City Winget (215-9) lost to Rockhampton (218-4) by six wickets

WILL Tyler hit a ton for the second week in a row to guide Rockhampton to victory against Gloucester City Winget.

Having been asked to field first on a baking hot day, Rockhampton captain Jack Spence opted to open with the spin of Chris Perry alongside the ever dependable Will Cartlidge.

This proved to be a masterstroke as both opening batsmen struggled to cope with the dramatic change in pace from the hostile Cartlidge to the sharp turning off spin of Perry, who bowled a superb but luckless opening spell of 7-0-21-0.

Cartlidge was busy at the other end and finished with an equally superb and luckless spell of 10-4-29-0.

Sam Nichols was introduced in the 21st over and struck immediately, dismissing Jack Cowles (37) lbw with the score on 78.

The spin of Guy Brothwood and James Hancox produced the goods in bowling initial tight spells, followed by wickets once returning to bowl the death overs. GCW never really excelled despite a breezy 63 from skipper Ben Lambert and found themselves on 163-4 going into the final ten.

Nichols managed to bowl his allotted ten straight through despite the heat and ended with respectable figures of 10-1-62-2, with Perry returning to complete his spell of 10-0-30-0.

Brothwood and Hancox bowled the final six in tandem and, along with some excellent catching and fielding, managed to restrict the hosts to 215-9 from their 50 overs.

Brothwood (4-41) and Hancox (3-45) earned some crucial bowling bonus points for the Rams.

In response, opening batsmen Will Tyler and Rowan Cartlidge got Rockhampton off to a great start with the former finding the boundary rope with relative ease and regularity, passing his 50 and moving the visitors onto 105 without loss before a momentary lapse of concentration from Cartlidge resulted in him being caught and bowled by Collinson for 32.

Brothwood swiftly moved onto 19 before drilling one straight to point, with the score on 141.

This brought Matt Tyler to accompany his brother in the middle and it wasn't long before he watched Will spank a trademark cover drive to bring up yet another century.

Matt was playing as equally as freely and impressive as Will, who was eventually dismissed for 114 off 138 balls in a faultless knock that included 15 boundaries and one enormous six.

Perry was dismissed second ball, leaving Spence (1*) and Matt Tyler (31*) to guide Rockhampton home in the 46th over.

Rockhampton host big spending Lechlade on Saturday, followed by a trip to Marshfield on Sunday in the third round of the National Village Knockout with a place in the Regional Final up for grabs for the winner.