Opener Luke Ashen crashed 81 from 37 balls as Tetbury climbed back to the top of Division One of the Gloucestershire League with a three-wicket win over previous leaders Apperley.
Ashen thumped six fours and seven sixes – he was the second batter out with the score on 116 – as Tetbury overhauled Apperley’s 191 all out at the end of the 37th over despite Caspar Chambers picking up 5-27. Gabriel Redding, batting at eight, made 50 from 45 balls for Apperley while James Meacham took 3-23 and Mike Anderson 3-30 for Tetbury.
Third-placed Frocester 2nds moved to within 11 points of Apperley, who trail Tetbury by five points, with a hard-fought two-wicket win over Cheltenham Civil Service in a low-scoring game. Ramearo Samuel was their star, taking 6-47 as Cheltenham Civil Service were shot out for 121 in 24.5 overs and then hitting an unbeaten 51 in the run chase. He shared a ninth-wicket partnership of 32 with Louis Sabbagh-Holt (18 not out) to get his side over the line despite Richard Robinson picking up 4-22.
Ullenwood Bharat, who have been involved in a number of close finishes this season, were involved in another as they defeated Westbury-on-Severn by six runs. They held their nerve to dismiss Westbury-on-Severn for 154 at the end of the 44th over after the last two wickets had added 43. Jitesh Thammisetti was the pick of their bowlers with 5-34, while Jon Hargreaves took 3-25. Dan Hockaday claimed 3-39 for Westbury, who beat Ullenwood Bharat by four runs earlier in the season.
Max Rouvray crashed an unbeaten 108 from 45 balls – seven fours and nine sixes – and put on 143 for the fourth wicket with Arthur Sweeting (97 not out). Ethan Pietkiewicz also made a run-a-ball 83 as Dumbleton 2nds made 303-3 against Redmarley, who were then shot out for 62 with Sam Gough taking 5-16.
Gavin White picked up 4-4 in four overs as Kingsholm romped to a 10-wicket win over Quedgeley & Hardwicke. Kingsholm reached the 129 they needed by the end of the 19th over with Jack Ellis on 70.
Chipping Sodbury 2nds lost three wickets in the final over bowled by Kyle Swanepoel – two to run-outs – to lose by four runs to Great Rissington in Division Three. They closed on 220-8 with Jamie Wakefield (57) and Alex Gooding (50) their main run-getters. Swanepoel took 3-38. Earlier, skipper Giles Wellman top-scored for Great Rissington with 59 while Frankie Gooding took 3-27 for Chipping Sodbury.
The win leaves third-placed Great Rissington four points behind leaders Charlton Kings 2nds, who reclaimed top spot after overcoming previous pacesetters Churchdown by 29 runs.
Opener Chris Burrow made 108 in Charlton Kings’ 277-8 before Matt Bower took 4-11 in three overs as Churchdown closed their innings with nine wickets down. John Mumford was their top scorer with 51 from 31 balls. Mumford earlier took 3-48 while Callum Lindsay collected 3-58. Charlton Kings now hold a one-point advantage over Churchdown.
Will Hartley compiled 110, an innings that contained 18 fours, in Fairford’s 249-9, a total that was 106 too many for Rockhampton 2nds. They were dismissed inside 26 overs with Colin Bullock claiming 4-53.
Stephan De Jager snapped up 6-38 as Cheltenham 3rds were bowled out for 169 by Frampton-on-Severn, who won with six wickets and 3.2 overs in hand.
Dymock won a thriller in Division Four, clinching a two-wicket win from the final ball of the game against Corse & Staunton 2nds. James Thomas was unbeaten on 38 after taking 5-39 in Corse & Staunton’s all-out 211. Josh Brawn top-scored for Dymock with 52.
Benn Pockett took 3-39 as Cinderford St John were restricted to 181-7 before Cranham knocked off the runs for the loss of three wickets and nine overs remaining with skipper Alex Pockett unbeaten on 77.
Archie Armstrong claimed 5-43 as Bibury climbed off the bottom of Division Five with only their second win of the campaign. They bowled out Hatherley and Reddings 3rds for 153 in 26.3 overs with Jesly Lazarus collecting 3-45. Bibury had earlier been dismissed for 175 with skipper James Richardson top-scoring with 46.
Leaders Down Hatherley slipped to their first defeat of the season, going down by four wickets to Stroud 2nds after being bowled out for 168. Lukas James, the seventh bowler used by Stroud, picked up 5-31 before Stroud got home with an over to spare. Jamie Lomax top-scored for Stroud with 43.
