IN Premier Two Bristol/Somerset, leaders Winterbourne were 55-run victors at Ilminster, Gloucestershire captain Chris Dent top scoring on 65 in a total of 219 while half centuries from Jamie Tapper and Jacob Duffy set up Bishopston’s 39-run victory over North Perrott, writes Steve Hill.

Knowle moved into pole position in the Bristol & North Somerset division of the Courage West of England Premier League after crushing fellow high-flyers Bath 2nds by 132 runs as leaders Bristol 2nds went down away to Brislington.

South African Darryl Losper led the way for Knowle with an unbeaten 152 off 148 (19 fours, five sixes) in a total of 283-5.

And the target proved to be well out of reach as Habib Naqvi (3-43) and Oli Haynes (2-34, both from ten) led the charge before skipper Joe Brimble tidied up the tail with two wickets in four balls.

Knowle’s joy was heightened by local rivals Brislington downing Bristol 2nds by five wickets with their best display of the summer to date.

Toby Osman, at six, top scored on 57 in Bristol’s total of 249-9, Josh Whitemore taking 5-43 off ten. And Bris then got over the line with former Gloucestershire star Rob Cunliffe unbeaten on 96.

Next for Brislington is a trip to Bristol West Indian Phoenix who cruised past Frenchay by six wickets.

Skipper Oli Sharp thumped 53 off only 22 balls (two fours, seven sixes) to see Stapleton to a four-wicket win at Twyford House.

Bristol boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop from Premier One with a seven-wicket home success over fellow strugglers Clevedon, Fin Trenouth top scoring on 81.

Bedminster were two-wicket victors at Taunton St Andrews while Downend and leaders Potterne tied a thriller.

Gloucestershire’s Ian Cockbain smashed 165 off 145 balls (16 fours, nine sixes) for Downend and Wiltshire all-rounder Jake Goodwin replied with 161 off 105 (14 fours, 12 sixes) for Potterne.

The game went down to the very last ball when Gloucestershire under-17 seamer Hamdi Saleem trapped Ben Higton lbw to tie proceedings.

Cheltenham, meanwhile, were 44-run home victors over Lansdown with Jos Breed taking 5-55 from ten.

Andy Solomons (183) and skipper Uzi Qureshi (147) put on 304 for the first wicket at Frocester who pounded Burbage & Easton Royal by 176 runs in Premier Two Glos/Wilts.

Thornbury eased past Trowbridge by seven wickets, Dumbleton went down by five wickets at home to Corsham and Stroud came up 22 runs short at home to leaders Chippenham, Louis Gegg unbeaten on 143 off 85 (ten fours, ten sixes).

Gloucestershire Division leaders Hatherley & Reddings were six-wicket winners at Cheltenham Civil Service but second-placed Bourton Vale were edged out by four wickets at home to Frocester 2nds.

Tom Allcoat’s unbeaten 104 could not save Tewkesbury from a 45-run setback at Cirencester while opener Jack Whiting’s 99 put Gloucester on course for a six-wicket home success over Rockhampton.

Painswick skipper Jack Hobbis made light of a leg injury suffered in the warm-up to finish with figures of 0-14 from ten, setting up a four-wicket home victory against Corse & Staunton, George MacDuff also hitting an unbeaten 82.