EWAN Gegg produced a tremendous individual display, hitting a century and following up with five wickets, as Stroud completed a 53-run victory away to Langford in WEPL’s Gloucestershire division.
Batting at five, the all-rounder plundered 133 from 103 (ten fours, nine sixes) to dominate his side’s challenge of 255.
And Gegg followed up with figures of 5-32 from nine overs of spin as Langford went down to a fifth successive defeat.
It was much tighter at Frocester 2nds where Bourton Vale kept their promotion hopes alive with a nerve-tingling one run victory.
The home side appeared to be in full control at 239-8 as the final over began, needing one run to tie and two for the win.
But visiting skipper and leg spinner Darrel Williams bowled a dot ball, grabbed a wicket with an enticing second delivery that produced a stumping and then sent down two more ‘dots’ before a run out sparked great scenes of celebration.
Lysander Tarrant (64) and Williams (50 not) earlier top scored for Bourton Vale while opener Hari Jayasekara thumped 108 off only 71 (15 fours, five sixes) to give the Frocester reply a strong start before falling to Max Shepherd (3-19 from ten) while there were also three wickets for Liam Webb.
Leaders Chipping Sodbury eased past lowly Gloucester by seven wickets, Jack Harman grabbing 4-26 – including three wickets in his first over – and opener Rohan Wijeratne unbeaten on 61.
Charlton Kings trumped Aston Ingham by five wickets, captain Charlie Watkins unbeaten on 89, while Hawkesbury Upton condemned Thornbury 2nds to a tenth place finish with a 98-run victory, Kudzai Maunze hitting 82 and claiming 3-29.
In Premier One, Frocester went down by five wickets away to high flying Bedminster while fellow strugglers Downend were rushed out for 173 and a ten wicket humbling at Potterne.
It was a tough day also for Bristol who succumbed by 23 runs at Burbage & Easton Royal while Thornbury came up ten runs short away to bottom side Taunton St Andrews.
Bishopston remain in relegation trouble in Premier Two Bristol/Somerset following a four-wicket defeat away to bottom side Taunton while Golden Hill remain third despite a three-wicket home setback against struggling Keynsham.
Dumbleton, the Premier Two Glos/Wilts pacesetters, bounced back from defeat last week with a 164-run home thumping of Cheltenham, Archie Bailey and Ross Martin taking three wickets apiece.
Hatherley & Reddings edged Chippenham by 32 runs, opener Noah Bennett shining with 77 while George MacDuff’s 108 from 145 (14 fours) paved the way for Painswick to defeat Purton by 24 runs, Jack Hobbis following up with 4-29 from ten.
Tewkesbury, though, came up 25 runs short at home to Goatacre despite the efforts of Tom Stevens who took 4-22 from six and was then run out for 50.
Twyford House are clear of the pack in Bristol & North Somerset following a six wicket win away to Bristol West Indian Phoenix with whom they shared top spot at the start of the day, Zora Singh (53 not, Parik Shetty (47) and Mark Fowler (45) shining in the run chase.
Brislington moved up to second with a 59-run derby triumph at Knowle, Josh Whitemore bagging 4-33 from ten.
Bristol Pakistanis overcame Pak Bristolians by three wickets to complete a fourth successive win that lifted them up to seventh while Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury were 30-run home victors against Frenchay, Cam Hawkins top scoring on 88.
And Bedminster 2nds edged their Bristol counterparts by 36 runs, Alex Bindloss inflicting the damage with figures of 6-36 from ten.
Image courtesy Brian Rossiter