OLDLANDS had plenty to celebrate after holding off Cranham by 80 runs for their first win in the AMS Gloucestershire County League since August 2019!
Captain Ash Walker top scored on 66 and Jacob Waite hit 32 in a 30-over total of 183-8 after losing the toss in this Division Four encounter, Jeremy Strickland taking 3-32 from six.
In reply, Cranham were well set at 62-0 before Ryan Neal (5-23) and Waite (3-28, both from six) made inroads and reduced the visitors to 103-8 from 24 when the rain rolled in.
Oldlands were relegated from Division Two in 2019, and lost all seven matches arranged in the shortened covid season of 2020 before they also went win-less last summer in Division Three, dropping down again.
Two other results were possible in this division, Dymock seeing off Sheepscombe by 45 runs with Andy Bevan, Matt Barratt and Isaac Lawrence all taking three wickets apiece, while Isaac Havard’s 6-15 from four and an unbeaten 61 from Craig Scully steered Chipping Sodbury 2nds to an eight wicket victory in a 20-over contest at Frocester 3rds.
The wet weather had players and officials across the league scrambling for handbooks and rain regulations, but plenty of matches were still able to reach conclusions including three in Division One.
Hawkesbury Upton, with one eye on overhead conditions, took just under 20 overs to chase down a target of 165 at home to Thornbury 2nds, Jay Westwood leading the charge with 89 off only 55.
Leaders Chipping Sodbury made it seven from seven with a seven-wicket home success over Chipping Campden, and Cheltenham Civil Service overcame Kingsholm by 83 runs, captain George Leadbetter’s 83 at the top of the order coming from just 61 balls (13 fours).
It was a different story in Divisions Two and Three where no finishes were possible. But in Division Five, Lydney moved up to fifth with a fine seven-wicket success away to Cheltenham 3rds, James Bishop’s unbeaten 111 taking the visitors to their target with eight overs to spare.
Earlier, Naveen Thomas compiled 102 off 81 for Cheltenham, hitting 15 fours and three sixes.
Cirencester 2nds trumped their Charlton Kings counterparts by 26 runs, and Whitminster romped in by seven wickets at home to fellow strugglers Witcombe for their first win of the summer.
In Division Six, leaders Quedgeley & Hardwicke overcame Parkend by seven wickets while Hatherley & Reddings 3rds were 84-run home victors against Upton St Leonards, Robin Smith plundering 134 off 109 (20 fours, five sixes) to help seal a first win of the campaign.
Captain George Parrott’s 60 was in vain in Division Seven where bottom side Cam battled bravely before succumbing by three wickets at Down Hatherley.
Langford 2nds defeated Ruardean Hill by four wickets, opener Martyn Leeworthy hit 56 in Tormarton’s 76-run success at Oaksey while opener Dave Leith’s unbeaten 104 off 76 (14 fours and a six) was in vain for Chalford who slipped to a six-wicket setback at Painswick 2nds.
ends