Gloucestershire County League Division Two

Cam 203-8 beat Cinderford St John 159-10 by 44 runs

CAM stretched their lead at the top of Division Two of The Gloucestershire County League to 32 points with a 44 run victory away to Cinderford St John.

After being asked to bat first, Cam found runs hard to come by in the early exchanges and found themselves in a perilous position having lost Jake Dolbear to a run out for 6 and Gareth Udal and Jim Seal clean bowled for 8 and 2 respectively.

With the score on 19-2 after 12 overs, Ben Holloway and Alex Ballard set about their task well with both men finding the boundary as they combined to add 59 for the fourth wicket. Holloway was bowled for 25 but Ballard continued to score quickly as he took Cam past the hundred mark.

Having got themselves back into the game, Cam proceeded to lose a succession of quick wickets with Adam Holloway and Tom Deakin both departing without scoring before Ballard was finally out for 60 off 46 balls in a knock which contained 8 fours and 2 sixes.

With the score now on 110-7, Cam’s lower order knew the onus was on them to ensure a competitive score was achieved.

Ryan Western and Jake Parrott kept the scoreboard ticking over as they took the score past 150 before Western was bowled for 20.

George Dolling joined Parrott at the crease and both men ran hard as they looked to rotate the strike and increase the scoring rate.

Their partnership of 48 saw Cam to maximum batting points in the final over as they finished on 203-8. Both men finished unbeaten, Parrott on 43 and Dolling on 25.

Cam openers Dolling and Charlie Viney kept things tight in the opening overs as they looked to tie down the Cinderford openers. Despite limiting the scoring rate, neither player could find the breakthrough and it was left to first change bowler Ben Holloway to claim the first wicket thanks to a catch from brother Adam.

Ryan Western then got in on the act as he bowled Goldring for 10 before a direct hit from Dolling sent House on his way for 17.

Holloway and Western did the bulk of the damage as they both collected 3 wickets apiece to really turn the game in Cam’s favour.

The most important breakthrough came just after the drinks break as opener Bywater skied a catch to Deakin off Western to be dismissed for 22. Western and Holloway’s wickets had left Cinderford well short of their victory target, leaving the tail to seek to collect batting points rather than chasing victory.

Ballard was brought on to bowl and picked up a wicket in his second over thanks to a catch in the deep from Dolling, before both men switched roles soon after as Ballard caught off Dolling as he returned for his second spell.

The game was wrapped up off the next ball as an outside edge was held by wicketkeeper Dolbear, as Cam ran out victorious by 44 runs.