CAPTAIN Tom Hage produced career-best figures of 7-19 from ten for Hatherley & Reddings who closed out a 94-run home win over Corse & Staunton in WEPL Premier Two Glos/Wilts.
Hage’s inspired spell helped reduce Corse to 92 all out after Hatherley had earlier battled their way to 186 after winning the toss, opener Bobby Britto (29) top scoring. Hatherley remain eighth but are now 18 points ahead of Stroud who succumbed by three wickets at home to Cheltenham.
Ewan Gegg plundered 130 off 126 (16 fours, four sixes) in a Stroud total of 316-3 but Cheltenham were equal to the challenge as captain Nick Evans finished unbeaten on 116 off 104 (14 fours, two sixes) to bag the points with ten balls to spare.
Frocester, who are locked in a titanic battle with Goatacre for the one promotion place, saw off Marshfield by 77 runs, Nathan Rose Innes and Devlin Webb taking three wickets apiece.
Bristol, the unbeaten leaders of Premier Two Bristol/Somerset, edged another step closer to the title and promotion with a six-wicket home success against Shapwick & Polden.
Opener Max Harsham (74) and Gary Booth (61) shared an unbroken stand of 120 for Bishopston who trumped Frome by nine wickets, and Harry Thomas was unbeaten on 111 in Golden Hill’s six wicket home success over Ilminster.
Winterbourne, meanwhile, boosted their hopes of avoiding the drop with a 19-run win at Midsomer Norton, captain George Ford leading from the front with a fine burst of 5-33.
Only three points separate the top three sides in Bristol & North Somerset. Keynsham (221) remain in pole position despite a 29-run home setback against Congresbury (219) while Knowle (220) moved up to second, defeating Twyford House by 104 runs as Jacob Reeves captured 4-31.
Opener Charlie Brain’s unbeaten 107 off 106 (14 fours, three sixes) helped seal a six-wicket success for Brislington at Bath 2nds while Bradley Stoke are off the bottom after ending a run of ten straight defeats with a 30-run win away to drop zone rivals Bedminster 2nds, Balaji Srinivas crashing an unbeaten 98 off 87 (nine fours, five sixes).
Keegan Jansen Van Rensburg cracked his third league ton of the summer for leaders Painswick who were seven wicket victors at Charlton Kings. The South African finished unbeaten on 127 with the next highest scorer 29 as his side reached their target of 179 with 22 overs to spare.
Dan Holland’s 104 not out lifted nearest rivals Dumbleton to a nine-wicket home win against Tewkesbury while Cirencester trumped Frocester 2nds by two wickets, Jock Jamieson-Black taking 4-34 and Louis Sabbagh-Holt 3-4 from five.
Scott Montgomery top scored on 62 in Gloucester’s six-wicket home victory against Apperley who are back on the bottom following Rockhampton’s three-wicket home success against Bourton Vale.
In Premier One, Thornbury went down by one wicket against Clevedon despite Praneel Choughule’s excellent spell of 3-19 from ten.