Cricket: Cam promoted but Viney spell costs them the title

Stone (179-9) beat Cam (149) by 30 runs

CHARLIE Viney was the party pooper as his fine spell of bowling gave Stone victory and ended Cam's chance of winning the title.

However, defeats for Woodpeckers and Frocester thirds meant Cam went up in the second promotion spot with Westbury-on-Severn, who started the day in third, crowned as champions.

Viney finished with figures of 9-5-14-4 as he ripped through the Cam top order.

Earlier, Cam captain Pete Hall asked Stone to bat first but opening bowlers Edward Rendall and George Dolling struggled to find a breakthrough against Adam Palmer and Richard Boroughs.

It took until the tenth over before Dolling had Boroughs caught behind for ten.

Barnes was caught by Western off the bowling of Rendall and Palmer was eventually bowled by Dolling, leaving Stone 33-3.

Dave Jones and Pete Booth both set out to attack Ben Holloway and Western, the pair going for 50 between them off the following nine overs.

Hall and Alex Ballard seemed to stem the flow of boundaries, Ballard eventually making a breakthrough as Jones was given out leg before for 58.

Rendall rejoined the attack and removed Booth for 55 but not before he had smashed the tiles on the clubhouse balcony.

Rendall then cleaned up Viney, and in the following over Ballard clinched promotion for Cam with a catch from Ben Williams to dismiss Alan Sherman, giving them enough bonus points to finish above Frocester thirds.

Ballard eventually finished with figures of 4-32.

The Cam innings began with Viney having Newman caught behind without scoring before Adam Holloway was unlucky to chop onto his own stumps.

Williams fell to Ben Evans soon after, leaving Cam 26-3.

This soon became 37-4 as Hall was caught by Boroughs with a diving catch in close off Viney.

Tom Deakin and Western went about rebuilding the innings, but with Viney bowling an opening spell of 3-9 runs were hard to come by.

Some respite for Cam came as both batsmen took a liking to James Barnes' bowling until Western was caught for 22 by Palmer.

Jake Dolbear soon followed as he was stumped second ball after dropping his bat.

From 74-7, Holloway partnered Tom Deakin to see the score past 100.

With the last ball of Ian Hall's spell he had Holloway caught for 18, breaking a 50-run partnership.

Ballard became Viney's fourth victim as he was bowled.

Rendall was run out soon after leaving Cam needing 60 from the remaining ten overs.

Deakin batted with patience and control throughout and passed 50 but unfortunately for Cam was the last wicket to fall with four overs remaining for 66 as they finished short.