Opening batter Mike Donaldson was the star turn for Frenchay, making 102 to help steer his side to an exciting last-over win against Downend in WEPL Premier 2 Bristol & North Somerset.
Chasing Downend’s 246-7, Frenchay got home with five balls and three wickets to spare, thanks in large part to a sixth-wicket partnership of 122 between Donaldson and Rishabh Singh, who thumped 77 from 60 balls. Earlier, Taimour Warraich (77) and Edward Chigley (55) had put on 111 for the first wicket for Downend after they had won the toss.
It was close for Bishopston, too, as they overcame Bedminster’s 149-9 by two wickets, albeit with more than 14 overs to spare, while Brislington won by the same margin against Keynsham, who were dismissed for 183.
Ghulam Shabbir (86) and Rahul Deshmukh (72 not out) put on 129 for the sixth wicket for Bristol Pakistanis in their side’s 250-7, and they pushed unbeaten Knowle all the way before they got home by five wickets with five balls to spare.
Cani Gunaratnam was stranded on 99 as Thornbury posted an impressive 318-7 against Bedminster in Premier One. He made his runs from 104 balls and shared in a fourth-wicket partnership of 126 with Joshua Thomas (75 from 61 balls). Declan Farland then hurried Thornbury to a 92-run win, taking 5-28 as Bedminster were dismissed inside 44 overs.
Opener Nic Halstead Cleak thumped 127 from 102 balls for Bristol, but it was in a losing cause as his side went down by 62 runs against Bridgwater, while a solid all-round team performance saw Frocester register their first league win of the campaign, beating Dumbleton by four wickets after the home side made 238-8.
Painswick remain on top of Premier 2 Glos/Wilts after a 137-run win over Marshfield, who were dismissed for 137 in 37.4 overs with skipper Jack Hobbis claiming 4-38. Earlier, Alastair Conolly had made a quickfire 74 for Painswick, sharing in a fifth-wicket partnership of 129 with opener George MacDuff, who held the innings together with a patient 77.
Hatherley and Reddings are just three points behind the leaders after a convincing 163-run win over Chipping Sodbury, thanks to two outstanding individual performances. Vihanga Kottawasinhage, batting at five, made 116 from 107 balls in his side’s 264-7 before spinner Max Kelly took centre stage, grabbing 6-28 in 8.4 overs after coming on as first-change.
Mohit Kale was the batting star for Cheltenham, hitting 115 at quicker than a run-a-ball as they were dismissed for 264 at the end of the 50th over. Archie Freeth picked up 5-43 for Tewkesbury, who were then given hope by Josh Barnes (77) and skipper Louis Whitmore (60), before Stan Brown (4-29) and Liam Walker (3-22) steered Cheltenham to an ultimately comfortable 61-run win.
Leaders Corse & Staunton made it four wins out of four in the Gloucestershire Division with a 117-run win over Cheltenham 2nds. Cheltenham were dismissed for 153 in 33 overs, with Harrison Tegg the most successful of the bowlers with 3-43.
Tegg had a good game because, batting at seven, he had made an unbeaten 63 from 50 balls in his side’s 270-8.
Left-arm spinner Max Shepherd collected 4-31 as Aston Ingham fell 24 runs short of second-placed Bourton Vale’s all out 179. Anthony James took 4-36 for Aston Ingham.
Chipping Campden skipper Matt Andrews compiled an unbeaten 105 and shared in an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 143 with Jack Groves, who contributed 77, against Hawkesbury, who then fell short by 83 runs as they were dismissed for 146 with Bertie Evans taking 3-9.
Benny Ellis (73 not) and Ben Lord (34 not) guided Charlton Kings to a three-wicket win at Stroud after the home side had been bowled out for 185. Ellis and Lord had come together with the score on 114 after Nimesh Ilukwatte, who finished with 4-40, had given Stroud hope of their first win of the campaign.
