Apperley made a quickfire start to life back in Division One of the Gloucestershire Cricket League with a six-wicket win over Cheltenham Civil Service. Last season’s Division Two champions dismissed the home side for 93 after winning the toss with Devin Rogers taking 4-7 in six overs.
Rogers then hit a run-a-ball 33 and Rob Birch a run-a-ball 35 as Apperley reached their target in 18 overs.
Thornbury 2nds were the only other winners in the division as the rain disrupted the opening day of the new league season.
They shot out Frocester 2nds for 120 in 24.1 overs with Alex Riggs the most successful of the bowlers with 3-23.
Thornbury then knocked off the runs in 23.3 overs, although they did slip to 97-6 before getting home by four wickets.
All five games in Division Two were abandoned, but Charlton Kings enjoyed a seven-wicket win in Division Three after they had dismissed Rockhampton for 137.
Richard Pengelly was the pick of their bowlers with 5-28 before the batters took over, racing to their target in 19.2 overs with Chris Downes hitting an unbeaten 55.
In the same division, Great Rissington rushed to a six-wicket win, overhauling Fairford’s all out 133 in just 14.2 overs, thanks in large part to opening batter Kyle Swanepoel, who smashed 64 from 31 balls.
Earlier, Toby Crammen, the seventh bowler used by skipper Giles Wellman, had taken 3-1 in his only over.
Opening batter Ross Wakely hit an unbeaten 145 from 100 balls as Whitminster defeated Kingsholm 2nds by 43 runs in Division Four.
Whitminster made 287-4 from their 40 overs before Kingsholm fell well short of their revised target of 119 from 20 overs.
Cranham were too strong for Dymock, winning by 114 runs after wicketkeeper Alex Pockett had carried his bat for 79 in their all out total of 169.
Bourton Vale 2nds had the edge on Frocester 3rds after bowling them out for 116 in 27.4 overs with Danny Way picking up 4-22 in his six overs.
Bourton then eased to victory inside 17 overs for the loss of four wickets.
Hatherley & Reddings 3rds stormed to a 91-run win over Gloucester 2nds in Division Five in another rain-affected game.
Gloucester closed on 114-7 after new-ball bowler Matthew Hole had taken 5-12 in his six overs. Gloucester lost their first three wickets without a run on the board and were 28-7 before Elham Ahmadzai gave their score some respectability with an unbeaten 50.
Earlier, Tom Coote had top-scored for Hatherley with 71 in their 268-9 from 40 overs.
An all-round team effort secured a four-wicket win for Stroud 2nds over Langford 2nds in a rain-affected game after Langford had been dismissed for 136 in 34 overs.
Lydney 2nds raced to an impressive eight-wicket win over Parkend in Division 6A after winning the toss and shooting out the home side for 95 in 29.2 overs.
Jake Carvall took 5-30 in seven overs before Lydney knocked off the required runs in 13.4 overs.
There was just one result in Division 7A with Arcadians Nine Elms 2nds easing to a six-wicket win over Slimbridge.
The home side made 102-9 from 30 overs, with extras making up more than half their total. The 52 extras included 33 wides, while not one Slimbridge batter reached double figures.
An unbeaten 50 by Johnson Antony helped Arcadians Nine Elms to their target in 17 overs.
Redmarley 2nds overcame Dymock 2nds by 59 runs in Division 8A after making 185 in 38.5 overs.
Dymock’s revised target of 107 in 21 overs proved well beyond them.
A good all-round performance by Ralph Heaven Richards steered Goodrich 2nds to a six-wicket win over Ruardean Hill 2nds.
Heaven Richards took 3-11 in six overs as Ruardean Hill were rolled over for 113 and then hit an unbeaten 30 from 19 balls in his team’s successful run chase.
