GLOUCESTER have given themselves a fighting chance of beating the drop after completing a tense 12-run home win over fellow strugglers Frocester 2nds in WEPL’s Gloucestershire division.
Scott Montgomery dug in for a priceless 107 from 122 (14 fours, one six) to dominate a total of 216-6 after Gloucester had won the toss.
And it proved to be just enough as Frocester came up short against Abu Rahi (4-28 from nine) and Raju Devandran who claimed 2-47 from ten.
Gloucester remain second bottom but, with four rounds of games to go, are only six behind Frocester and 11 off newcomers Hawkesbury Upton.
Hawkesbury suffered a 69-run home setback against Aston Ingham for whom Anthony James cracked 128 off 134 (13 fours, five sixes).
Next up for Hawkesbury is a home date against bottom side Thornbury 2nds who are all but relegated after a seven wicket defeat at second placed Bourton Vale for whom Max Shepherd grabbed 5-10.
Jiwanjot Singh, meanwhile, turned in a tremendous solo performance for leaders Chipping Sodbury who held off Langford by 50 runs.
The all-rounder began his day with 100 from 68 (15 fours, one six) and followed up with a haul of 5-36 from nine overs of spin to keep his side 21 points clear.
Charlton Kings, in third, dominated Stroud by 143 runs, Benny Ellis top scoring on 91 while there were also three wickets for Matt Gibson and Ben Lord.
In Premier One, lowly Downend slipped to a 13-run home reverse against leaders Bridgwater, Cyrus Shafi carrying his bat for a battling 83 from 115 while captain Callum Loud blasted 72 from 44.
Skipper Louie Shaw bagged 3-31 from ten and then finished unbeaten on 71 as Bristol saw off champions Potterne by six wickets.
And Thornbury continued their excellent first season back at this level, moving up a place to third following a seven wicket home success over Bath.
Frocester remain in relegation trouble after a five-run home reverse against Burbage & Easton Royal despite the considerable efforts of Oscar Moore (6-32 from ten).
Dumbleton, the Premier Two Glos/Wilts pacesetters, suffered only their second defeat of the campaign when they slipped up by four wickets at Goatacre.
Rugs Magarira took 4-19 as Hatherley & Reddings coasted to a 172-run triumph away to Royal Wootton Bassett while Tewkesbury went down by 82 runs at Corsham.
Opener Reece Morris finished unbeaten on 69 as Painswick pounded struggling Chippenham by nine wickets, and Cheltenham saw off bottom side Purton by six wickets.
Golden Hill are back up to third in Premier Two Bristol/Somerset following a four wicket win at Congresbury, but Bishopston remain in danger of the drop following a 15-run reverse at Weston-super-Mare.
Clubs are sat so tightly together in the Bristol & North Somerset division that Frenchay zoomed from ninth to fifth courtesy of a 68-run home win over Pak Bristolians.
Knowle, fourth at the start of play and only four points off the top, lost ground with a seven wicket reverse away to joint leaders Bristol West Indian Phoenix, Mike Jones and Ishtiaq Ishaq both taking four wickets.
Fellow pacesetters Twyford House saw off Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury by seven wickets, skipper Parik Shetty taking centre stage with an unbeaten 131 off 120 (11 fours, six sixes).
And Bristol Pakistanis made it three in a row with a 119-run home hammering of Bedminster 2nds, Umair Javed (3-6) and Ghulam Shabbir (3-13) inflicting the damage.
Bristol 2nds are now bottom following a six wicket setback away to Brislington, Arthur Harman taking 5-37 from nine.
Image courtesy Brian Rossiter
