CORSE & Staunton trumped Bourton Vale by 83 runs on the final day of the season to seal WEPL’s Gloucestershire Division title and with it a first-ever promotion to Premier Two Glos/Wilts.
Jon Tegg’s 49 helped Corse reach 213-7 after losing the toss at home before Bourton Vale were dismissed for 130, the wickets being shared around.
This result meant Corse could not be overtaken by nearest rivals Cirencester who ended their excellent summer on a high with a 155-run home thumping of Cheltenham Civil Service who are heading back to the Gloucestershire County League, along with Thornbury 2nds.
Half centuries from Jonnie Gunn and Jono Jamieson-Black helped Ciren reach 225-6 before the visitors were rumbled for only 70, Louis Sabbagh-Holt claiming 3-9 from seven.
There was plenty of drama elsewhere with several promotion and relegation issues going right down to the wire.
It could not have been any more tense in Premier One where Chippenham edged drop zone rivals Downend by six runs to ensure their safety and send the Bristol side down despite the tremendous efforts of Jordan Garrett, who hammered an unbeaten 84 off 61.
Cheltenham were also relegated following their three-wicket home reverse against Lansdown.
Coming up, meanwhile, are Thornbury who sealed the Premier Two Glos/Wilts silverware with a 330-run home crushing of Hatherley & Reddings.
Gloucestershire’s Jack Taylor smashed an unbeaten 188 off only 87 balls (16 fours, 14 sixes) and county colleague Chris Dent contributed 165 from just 104 (21 fours, six sixes) to help power Thornbury to a match-winning 423-5.
The South Gloucestershire side, who are celebrating their 150th anniversary, then dismissed Hatherley for just 93 to bank maximum points and make other results elsewhere irrelevant after the three leading sides in this division started the day separated by only one point.
Bristol, meanwhile, missed out on promotion from Premier Two Bristol/Somerset by just one point after leading the division for the last 11 weeks.
Will Rudge’s side won by 108 runs at North Perrott but failed to secure maximum bowling points, allowing Taunton St Andrews to move into top spot for the first time.
Golden Hill clinched the Bristol & North Somerset championship earlier this month but the scrap to avoid relegation intensified at the very last.
A seven-wicket win at home to bottom side Stapleton lifted Knowle from ninth at the start of the afternoon to a final position of sixth.
And this result meant Stapleton will next year be joined in the Bristol & District League by Bristol West Indian Phoenix who slid from seventh to ninth after a four-wicket home reverse against Golden Hill.