Captain’s knock Simmons stays calm to clinch win
SKIPPER Will Simmons smashed an unbeaten 32 off 18 balls as Cheltenham kept their promotion hopes alive with a nerve-tingling one-wicket win with two deliveries to spare at Corsham in WEPL Premier Two Glos/wilts.
Cheltenham were staring down the barrel when last man Sam Didcote came to the wicket with nine runs required, but Simmons took centre stage to complete the win and keep Cheltenham in pole position with two games to go.
Closest rivals Thornbury, who began the day eight points behind their rivals, clawed back two points with a commanding seven-wicket home success over Dumbleton, Dan Davis capturing 4-18 as the visitors were skittled for 108.
Cheltenham and Thornbury are locked in a battle for a place in Premier One where Frocester still have an outside chance of staying up following a five-wicket home success over Downend.
Frocester gave their chances of avoiding relegation a welcome boost with a comfortable five-wicket WEPL Premier One victory over third placed Downend at Pounds Close.
Andy Solomons struck two early blows for Frocester, capturing a wicket and then producing a run-out with a brilliant piece of fielding.
Downend recovered from 3-2 to 87-2 but then Ross Martin and Solomons again captured wickets to make it 88-4.
Tom Drake then bowled Gilmour and Downend were struggling on 1235, but Callum Loud batted well for 72 to lift the final total to 195 all out as Alex Russell, above, with 2-33 polished off the tailenders.
In reply Uzi Qureshi led the way for Frocester with a fine innings of 72 and a 76 run partnership with Chris Liddle who struck eight fours and two sixes in an innings of 46, swung the game towards victory.
Jack Cowles batted well for 17 not out as Frocester reached their target in the 42 nd over.
Frocester II went 25 points clear at the top of WEPL Gloucestershire with a 94 run victory over Cheltenham Civil Service.
Skipper Sam Birch top-scored for Frocester, with a superb 75 as Frocester reached 234-7 in 50 overs.
There were also good contributions from Tom Wand (50), Will Helmke (41) and Harry Senior (39).
When Civil Service batted, Tom Morris and Dan Cave destroyed the top order and they never recovered, bowled out for 140.
Morris finished with 4-33 and Taylor Ireland wrapped up the tail with 3-37.
Frocester, though, cannot be promoted (to Premier Two Glos/wilts) if their first XI drop down to this division, and that means plenty is riding on the battle between Gloucester City Winget and Stroud to finish second and potentially be elevated instead.
GCW finished 60 runs short of a target of 240 away to Hatherley & Reddings and now lead Stroud – eightwicket home victors against Bourton Vale – by 17 points.
At the other end of the table, bottom side Kingsholm have it all to do if they are to avoid slipping straight back to the Greene King IPA Gloucestershire County League following a 232-run humbling away to Tewkesbury.