WEPL Glos/Wilts Division

Rockhampton (142) lost to Chippenham (144-8) by two wickets

ROCKHAMPTON were unable to finish off a record-breaking season with a win as a relegation-threatened Chippenham snuck over the line to secure their Glos/Wilts status for 2015.

Having won the toss and batted first, Rob Belbin (0) was dismissed early for lbw but Will Tyler and Guy Brothwood both looked at ease and progressed the score passed fifty before Brothwood (19) hit a long-hop straight to square leg.

This was the start of a collapse as Will Tyler (33), Simon Hore (0) and James Dryden (0) were all dismissed by the impressive Lee Ward (4-25) to leave the hosts on 60-5.

Jack Spence and Matt Tyler went about re-building the innings with a patient partnership before Spence ran himself out for 20.

Matt Tyler soon followed for 32 and both Will Cartlidge and Chris Perry came and went without troubling the scorers.

A last-wicket partnership of 27 between Rowan Cartlidge (20*) and Dave McCabe (7) added a bit of respectability and enabled Rockhampton to post 142.

Chippenham's response couldn't have got off to a worse start as Will Cartlidge took a wicket with the first ball of the innings.

The visitors were very quickly in some serious trouble as Will Cartlidge and Perry took two early wickets each to reduce Chippenham to 9-4.

Off-Spinner Perry went on to take 4-23 from his ten overs to cap off a remarkable season with the new ball and at 77-7 the game looked won.

However, needing a win to survive relegation, Chippenham stalwart Paul Bates and overseas player Denson Narayan put on a match-winning partnership of 60 with the latter being dismissed just before the end for 34 and Bates finishing unbeaten for a faultless 64.

Rockhampton finished second in Glos/Wilts and will hope to go one better next season as they look to secure Premier Two cricket.

Will Cartlidge and Brothwood took 57 wickets between them this season, while Will Tyler, Matt Tyler and Guy Brothwood amassed 1,500 runs.

Rockhampton are actively looking to recruit new players and a first team scorer for next season. Anyone interested should contact Jack Spence on 07825 512404 or spencejack@hotmail.co.uk