Jordan Stone was the hero for Lydney as they recorded their first win of the campaign in Division One of the Gloucestershire League.
They beat second-placed Apperley by three runs in a thriller with Stone holding his nerve in the final over, taking two wickets and conceding just three runs. He finished with 3-26 as Apperley closed on 104-9 from 20 overs. Lydney, too, lost nine wickets in their 20 overs, with Devin Rogers claiming 3-15 for Apperley.
Rockhampton climbed into third place after thumping Tewkesbury 2nds by eight wickets in the only other game played in the division because of the weather.
Tewkesbury were shot out for 52 in 22.3 overs with David McCabe (3-23) the most successful of the bowlers. Rockhampton knocked off the runs inside 12 overs.
New-ball bowler Matt Cayless picked up 5-17 in eight overs as Woodmancote fell three runs short of Kingsholm’s all-out 116 in Division Two. Cayless took five of the first six wickets to fall, although Brian Riddle then gave Woodmancote hope with an innings of 53. They were beaten with nine balls remaining, with Dominic Court claiming the final wicket. Earlier, Mark Hayes had taken 4-18 for Woodmancote and Jason Gore 3-21.
James Holland was another in-form bowler, claiming 5-22 as Westbury-on-Severn, chasing a revised target of 144 from 35 overs, were bowled out for 70 by Redmarley.
Sam Mattingley chipped in with 3-16 after Redmarley, who were winning for the first time this season, had made 144 in 34.4 overs. Greg Artus (3-19) and Dan Hockaday (3-36) were the most successful of Westbury’s bowlers.
Churchdown climbed above Great Rissington into third place in Division Three after thumping them by 10 wickets. Mark Anthony (3-24) was the most successful of their bowlers as Rissington were bundled out for 92 in 31.2 overs before Ivor Griffiths (43) and Flynn Waller (37) knocked off the runs.
Matt Bower snapped up 5-18 in four overs to set up leaders Charlton Kings 2nds’ seven-wicket win over Fairford, who were dismissed for 155.
Second-placed Shurdington trail them by nine points after restricting Frampton-on-Severn to 153-8 in 25 overs, 12 runs fewer than Shurdington had made for the loss of five wickets.
Frocester 3rds overcame bottom-of-the-table Kingsholm 2nds by 24 runs after posting 148-7 in 30 overs with opener Ben Spyvee top-scoring with 48. Russell Beacham took 3-19 for Kingsholm, who closed on 124-4.
Down Hatherley narrowed the gap on Division Five leaders Hatherley & Reddings 3rds to four points after beating them by 113 runs.
Shane Trigg (57) and Martin Collier (44) shared an opening partnership of 101 in Down Hatherley’s 247-8, while Subhankar Panigrahy made a quickfire 49. Denish Patadia took 3-42 for previously unbeaten Hatherley, who were dismissed in 34.3 overs. Chris Stuart (4-42) and Adam Milsom (3-20) were the pick of Down Hatherley’s bowlers.
Winchcombe moved up to third after beating Langford by six wickets.
Harry Davies claimed 3-15 as Langford were dismissed for 155 in 33.2 overs before skipper Jack Galpin, with an unbeaten 76 from 77 balls, steered his side to victory.
Cirencester 2nds are the new leaders of Division 6B after rushing to an eight-wicket win over Swindon United Churches, who were bowled out for 84 in 18.1 overs with Bengy Dodds collecting 4-7 in three overs. Cirencester knocked off the runs in 10.1 overs.
Opener Clive Chattell made a run-a-ball unbeaten 118 in Woodmancote 2nds’ 223-5 against Chalford in Division 7B. But he had to share top billing with Alankrith Shankar, who took 6-18 in 5.2 overs, as Chalford were dismissed for 126 in 30.2 overs.
Opener Arron Williams crunched 118 from 83 balls – 15 fours and five sixes –, but Quedgeley & Hardwicke 4ths still slumped to a nine-wicket defeat against Corse & Staunton 3rds in Division 9B. Quedgeley & Hardwicke made 181-9 after at one stage being 171-2 with Balu Sajeev taking 3-5 in four overs. Corse & Staunton knocked off the runs in 34.1 overs with William Morgan top-scoring with an unbeaten 63.
Finally, GCF Community Engagement Officer, Josh Graves, made his cricketing debut for Gloucester 3s. He got his name in the scorebook too, claiming 1-12 from his 3 overs as they beat Ashleworth Woodpeckers by 200 runs.
