CHIPPING Sodbury and Hatherley & Reddings are preparing for a big day out at the Seat Unique Stadium after beating higher league opponents in the semi-finals of the First Class Comms Gloucestershire Cup.
Sodbury overcame Dumbleton by 107 runs while Hatherley were 109-run victors at Downend as both booked their places in the final on Saturday September 6.
Star performer for Sodbury was Jiwanjot Singh who hammered 148 off 100 (17 fours, six sixes) and shared a third wicket stand of 202 with Jake Reed (64 not) in a challenge of 276-4.
In reply, Dumbleton came up well short despite the efforts of Lewis Rollinson who carried his bat for a battling 70 from 85 (nine fours, one six).
Eddie Holden led Sodbury’s attack with a return of 4-17 from six while Lovepreet Singh picked up two key wickets in the middle of the innings and there were also two wickets for fellow seamer Jack Harman.
Hatherley, meanwhile, piled up 345 after winning the toss at Downend, Nemika Benthota top scoring on 96 from only 56 (five fours, ten sixes) and opener George Driver-Dickerson hitting 80, Mahdi Saleem claiming 4-28.
In reply, the home side were soon 17-3 and never recovered despite the efforts of Zaman Shafi who thumped 82 before falling to Shahrukh Ali who finished with 4-52 from eight overs.
Ben McShane also weighed in with 2-17 from four while Joel Price claimed two wickets in a comfortable victory.
HOLDERS Gloucester AIW and Cirencester go head-to-head in the final of the First Class Comms Gloucestershire Trophy at Poulton on Sunday.
The game gets underway at 1pm, all welcome.