ALI Khalid and Kaihaan Zakhil took centre stage as Gloucester AIW made a tremendous start to the new season, trumping Cinderford St John by 97 runs in Division Three of the AMS Gloucestershire County League.
Opener Khalid top scored on 82 and, with Abraar Fadra (71), dominated Sports’ challenge of 252 after winning the toss, Mark Roberts claiming 4-46.
And Zakhil then devastated Saints’ middle order, hitting the stumps four times en route to fine figures of 6-28 from eight to complete a commanding win for Sports who last year finished third.
Frampton-on-Severn, bidding to bounce straight back to Division Two after relegation, were emphatic home victors against Dymock who were rumbled for only 48.
Akshay Sreenivasan (4-18) and John Gray (3-11) led the charge ahead of Frampton closing out a six-wicket success.
Hatherley & Reddings 2nds crushed their Chipping Sodbury counterparts by 115 runs, Henri du Toit (73), Tom Coote (70) and Aditya Rathore (4-12) all shining while promoted Dumbleton 2nds saw off Fairford by seven wickets thanks to Isaac Elkins (4-18).
Around half of the scheduled matches on the opening weekend of the summer fell victim to the weather, but two results were possible in Division One including an emphatic six-wicket home triumph for Hawkesbury Upton over promoted Great Rissington.
Skipper Ben Waldron marked his Hawkesbury league debut with a return of 4-22 as the visitors folded to 75 all out ahead of Fred Bennett (35 not) steering his side to the points.
Cirencester, relegated from WEPL, struggled to total 75 at home to Chipping Campden who romped in by six wickets, Sam Groves finishing with memorable figures of 3-4 from nine overs.
In Division Two, promoted Tewkesbury 2nds dismissed Newent for just 56 before romping to a ten-wicket success in only five overs while Shurdington completed a home three-wicket derby triumph over Cheltenham 2nds with four balls to spare, skipper Tom Knight top scoring on 56 after Ben Johns had earlier captured 4-29 from nine.
One other result was possible in this division, promoted Tetbury trumping Redmarley by 113 runs with Jacob Flowers, James Job and Alex Wyer taking three wickets apiece.
In Division Four, Cranham were six-wicket victors at Woodmancote, and Corse & Staunton 2nds edged Frocester 3rds by two wickets, Jack Tyrer top scoring on 60.
Lee Mansell (3-11 from eight) pointed Whitminster towards a seven-wicket win at Minchinhampton in Division Five, and Cirencester 2nds trumped their Cheltenham Civil Service counterparts by 44 runs.
League newcomers Winchcombe, meanwhile, opened their Division Six campaign with a ten-wicket hammering of Tormarton who folded to 69 all out.
Promoted King’s Stanley picked up from where they left off last summer, defeating Apperley 2nds by 99 runs while there was a 20-run victory for Arcadian Nine Elms away to Langford 2nds for whom captain Jake Romanek’s burst of 4-24 proved to be in vain.
Image courtesy Mike Starling