DUMBLETON edged leaders Royal Wootton Bassett by 13 runs on the road to go top of WEPL Premier Two Glos/Wilts as the season reached its mid point.
The visitors, who won the toss, battled their way to 212-7 thanks mainly to Tommy Boorman’s 81 and 49 from opener Lewis Rollinson.
And it then needed a disciplined bowling performance to keep the home side at bay, Ollie Horne bagging 3-39 while there were also two wickets apiece for Ross Martin, Myles Holland and Adam Stuart.
Cheltenham moved up to fifth after a 62-run success away to struggling Chippenham where Herbie Evans, James Boyle, George Pritchard and Ben Pegler all passed 50 ahead of Dexter Purser striking with 4-40.
Hatherley & Reddings succumbed by five wickets at home to Goatacre and Painswick came up 84 runs short at home to Corsham, but Tewkesbury were 226-run victors at home to Purton who were rushed out for just 37 by Tom Morris (6-17 from eight).
Bedminster lost ground on Premier One leaders Bridgwater with a 128-run home setback against champions Potterne while Frocester were edged out by 43 runs at Bath.
But third placed Thornbury trumped fellow newcomers Downend by 34 runs, Jack Worgan hammering a crucial 73 at number eight before Harry Donelan and Josh Thomas claimed four wickets apiece to deny Maz Khan whose 121 off 125 included 16 fours and two sixes.
Bristol remain ninth despite a commanding eight-wicket victory away to Taunton St Andrews where Rishi Panchal took 3-8 from seven and compiled an unbeaten 49.
Golden Hill slipped a place to third in Premier Two Bristol/Somerset with a 160-run home defeat against Clevedon while it was another tough day for Bishopston who remain bottom following a 69-run reverse away to leaders Midsomer Norton.
But OB Westbury made it three in a row with a 50-run win away to Taunton where Ben Cunliffe claimed 4-16 from five.
Matt Bicker hammered two sixes in the penultimate over to hand Langford a thrilling one-wicket home victory against high flying Bourton Vale in the Gloucestershire division.
Opener Ollie Whiteley dominated the visitors’ challenge of 212-9 with a battling 108 from 148 (15 fours, two sixes).
And it appeared to be enough as Langford’s reply, led by Jake Romanek’s 75, then slid from 176-4 to 199-8 only for Bicker to hold his nerve at the death.
Leaders Chipping Sodbury were eight-wicket home victors against bottom side Thornbury 2nds while Charlton Kings, in third, saw off Gloucester by seven wickets.
Lowly Frocester 2nds turned the tables on Aston Ingham for a three-wicket win that included 55 from Hamza Shahzad, and Stroud dispatched newcomers Hawkesbury Upton by eight wickets, Ninad Kadam unbeaten on 79.
Bristol Pakistanis turned the tables on Bristol & North Somerset pacesetters Brislington by 141 runs, rallying from 0-2 to reach 320-9 with Umair Javed unbeaten on 128 from 93 (11 fours, nine sixes).
And this result enabled Bristol West Indian Phoenix to go top with a ten-wicket home success over neighbours Pak Bristolians, Mike Jones starring with figures of 5-28 from eight including a hat-trick.
Bradley Stoke & Almondsbury edged Bedminster 2nds by four wickets, Twyford House were 114-run victors at Bristol 2nds and Knowle eased past Frenchay by five wickets.
Image courtesy Brian Rossiter
