Report by Steve Hill.

WEPL

THREE wickets apiece for teenager Stanley Brown and Luke Sellers laid the foundations for Cheltenham to ease in by eight wickets away to neighbours Hatherley & Reddings in the second round of action in the Courage West of England League.

Brown finished with excellent figures of 3-15 and Sellers 3-30, both from eight, as the home side struggled to reach 140 in this Covid Group F clash after winning the toss.

Kieran Smith (59 not) and opener Peter Woodland (43) then ensured Cheltenham made it two from two with almost 19 overs to spare.

Skipper Adam Stuart’s unbeaten 105 was a highlight of Dumbleton’s 94-run home victory over Gloucester, teenage left-arm spinner Ryan Kilmister bagging 4-33 from eight as his side also made it two in a row.

Stroud followed up their opening weekend victory with a 47-run success at Rockhampton, Chris Job unbeaten on 72.

And Thornbury also made it two in a row by showing plenty of composure to edge Frocester by four wickets with an over to spare. Opener Ed Webb led the way with 88 while Josh Slade (51) and skipper Marc Lezar (44 not) also made important contributions.

Gazette Series:

Ed Webb top scored for Thornbury. Photo: Peter Smith of Smifsports

In Covid Group A, Keynsham edged local rivals Brislington by two runs while Knowle went down by 88 runs at Midsomer Norton.

Steve Snell pounded 158 (12 fours, 12 sixes) as Bedminster overwhelmed Downend by 180 runs in Covid Group B, Chris Kislingbury’s 85 put Winterbourne on course for a four-wicket home success over Bishopston and opener Fin Trenouth hit 87 as Bristol saw off Congresbury by six wickets.

It was a good weekend for Bristol whose 2nds held on for a one-run triumph in Covid Group C over local rivals OB Westbury while Dan Broome’s spell of 4-36 helped ensure a 35-run victory for Golden Hill at Twyford House.

Corse & Staunton made it two from two in Covid Group H, Ed Goolden top scoring on 50 at home to Painswick before Callum King, Matt Brown and Matt Cox took two wickets apiece in a thrilling six-run triumph.

Opener Jack Gilpin stroked a patient 84 for Bourton Vale who trumped Cheltenham Civil Service by 31 runs while Hugh Leeke’s 5-36 was in vain for Apperley who succumbed by 55 runs at home to Cirencester.

Chris Whincup hit 117 and shared an opening stand of 204 with Ben French (47) as Frocester 2nds overcame their Thornbury counterparts by eight wickets.

GLOS COUNTY LEAGUE

IAN Richardson returned fine figures of 6-23 from eight overs but still finished on the losing side as Cranham were edged by two wickets in a low-scoring home thriller against Cirencester 2nds.

Richardson had earlier dug in to top score on 19 from 48 balls as Cranham battled their way to a total of 87 all out, James King capturing 5-9 in this Greene King IPA Gloucestershire County League B East clash.

The village side appeared to be in the driving seat as Ciren, in reply, folded to 14-6 and then 49-8 thanks mainly to the efforts of Richardson.

But Jake Holmes defied testing batting conditions with an unbeaten 49 off 67 deliveries to see the visitors to the spoils and their first success in this Coronavirus-affected campaign.

Sheepscombe, meanwhile, made it two from two with a seven-wicket home triumph over Cheltenham Civil Service 2nds, Dumbleton 2nds edged Birdlip & Brimpsfield by 28 runs while Minchinhampton were 76-run victors at Fairford.

Skipper Matt Cayless and Joe Wadham both starred with bat and then ball for Kingsholm who were 11-run home victors over Aston Ingham in A West.

Cayless top scored on 87 and Wadham hit 58 in their side’s 213, Dan Smith finishing with 4-20. And the duo then did their bit in the field, Wadham (4-19) and Cayless (2-32) combining with Ross Timoney (3-38) as Aston Ingham came up short.

Opener Dan Moore (88), Matt Rose (74 not) and Sam Groves (61) powered Chipping Campden to 308-9 at home to Great Rissington in A East and a 248-run win, Groves following up with 5-28 while Jack Thorn’s 105 off 86 balls (18 fours, two sixes) paved the way for Poulton to overpower Shurdington by 136 runs.

Skipper Jamie Rendell’s late burst of 4-24 helped Chipping Sodbury seal a 22-run success away to neighbours Hawkesbury Upton in A South.

In B West, opener Ian Robson compiled 96 for Corse & Staunton 2nds who made it two from two with a 150-run win at Dymock, and Brandon Coates (3-30) teamed up with Max Boniface (3-20) to clinch a 76-run victory for Tewkesbury 2nds away to their Lydney counterparts.

Jon Burrows (5-18 from eight) shone for Westbury-on-Severn 2nds in a 143-run home defeat of Hatherley & Redding 3rds in C West.

And Jake Higgins finished on 100 not out for Quedgeley & Hardwicke who emerged 26-run victors away to Stroud 2nds in C South.