GLOUCESTERSHIRE Over 50s suffered an agonising three-run home setback against Oxfordshire despite an unbeaten 114 at the top of the order from skipper Richard Trotman.
The visitors compiled a total of 234-5 after losing the toss at Lansdown, opener Pablo Mukherjee dominating with an unbeaten 115 with Jason Loud (1-26 from nine) the pick of the attack.
Gloucestershire, in reply, were well set at 169-1, but the dismissal of Rob Cunliffe for 72 gave Oxfordshire a chance to put the pressure on, and the visitors kept the heat on in a tight finish to close out the win.
The result means Gloucestershire still qualify for the main knock out stage of the ECB competition, but now face a gruelling last 16 visit to Cambridgeshire on Sunday.
Defending champions Gloucestershire Over 70s, meanwhile, emerged 70-run victors away to Somerset at Claverham.
The visitors made the most of winning the toss to reach 262-5 from 45, Bill Lawrence (78 not) and opener Keith Daniels (57) the main contributors.
Rick Carmam (3-22) and Howard Johnson (2-29, both from nine) then made inroads to complete a comfortable victory.
Gloucestershire Over 60s 2nds were five-wicket home victors against Cornwall at Westbury-on-Severn.
Andy Kear’s 2-26 from nine helped restrict the visitors to 205-5 ahead of Martin Hopkins leading the charge with an unbeaten 47.
The 50s seconds, though, were edged out by 84 runs away to Somerset, and the 60s 4ths succumbed by eight wickets away to Kent despite Dave Griffiths’ tremendous 123 off 131 (21 fours, one six).
GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S John Turton has been called into the England squad for the inaugural Over 70 World Cup which gets underway on Sunday.
England, of course, will be captained by Frocester chair John Evans while the squad further features wicketkeeper and county team-mate Nigel Belletty along with Steve Sheppard, of Bristol side St Mary Redcliffe.
First up, the hosts face Sri Lanka at High Wycombe before meeting India (Slough, July 30), New Zealand (Marlow, August 1), Australia (Beaconsfield, August 6), Wales (Bishop’s Stortford, August 8) and Canada (Wargrave, August 9).
The final will be staged at Wormsley on August 11.