APPERLEY ended their long wait for a much needed first win of the summer with a stunning four-wicket triumph away to previously unbeaten leaders Painswick in WEPL’s Gloucestershire division.
The home side had to battle all the way to total 189 after winning the toss, and owed much to Luke Woolway who dominated the innings with an unbeaten 102 as Dave Means (3-23) and Sam Fitzmaurice (2-29, both from ten) proved difficult to get away.
Opener Adrian Mayes (89 not) then held the Apperley reply together, Matt Long also hitting 46, as their side moved off the foot of the table.
Painswick remain in pole position though their lead was trimmed to 27 points as nearest rivals Charlton Kings emerged three-wicket victors at Rockhampton, Benny Ellis top scoring on 93.
Dumbleton romped in by 172 runs at Frocester 2nds, Ross Martin claiming 4-26, and captain Jack Whiting’s magnificent unbeaten 141 off 122 (14 fours, five sixes) led Gloucester to a three-wicket triumph at Bourton Vale.
Cirencester made the most of excellent batting conditions at Tewkesbury where Jono Jamieson-Black and opener Jonnie Gunn shared a second wicket stand of 288.
Jamieson-Black was eventually out for 160 off 143 (18 fours, three sixes) while Gunn finished unbeaten on 107 off 153 (nine fours) in a total of 295-2. In reply, Josh Barnes was caught one short of a century off Jamieson-Black (2-15) while brother Jock (3-62) also stuck to seal a 62-run triumph.
Sam Didcote (4-31) led Cheltenham to a 34-run win away to Premier Two Glos/Wilts leaders Frocester while Corse & Staunton made it three in a row with a 42-run trumping of bottom side Warminster, Jon Tegg unbeaten on 82.
Hatherley & Reddings succumbed by 115 runs at Goatace, and Stroud suffered a five-wicket reverse at Marshfield despite Amogh Bhatkal’s unbeaten 149 from 114 (18 fours, three sixes).
In Premier One, Thornbury saw off fellow strugglers Lansdown by five wickets, 17-year-old Gloucestershire Academy all-rounder Praneel Choughule claiming his first ever five-for, finishing with figures of 5-41 from 8.5 overs of off spin, and Bedminster succumbed by eight wickets at home to Chippenham.
Bristol, the Premier Two Bristol/Somerset leaders, saw off local rivals Golden Hill by eight wickets while Bishopston moved up a place to third with the same margin of victory, at home to Winterbourne.
OB Westbury, who started the day bottom, wrapped up a stunning five-wicket win away to joint leaders Twyford House in the Bristol and North Somerset division, Tom Harvey capturing 6-47 on debut before Ben Figueiredo’s unbeaten 101 sealed the points.
Brislington were 134-run home victors against Bedminster 2nds, Josh Whitemore unbeaten on 109, while Shazil Mustafa’s 101 for Bristol 2nds was in vain in a six-wicket reverse at home to high-flying Knowle and Bradley Stoke battled hard in a two-wicket defeat at Congresbury.