Agonising defeat Three-run loss as Cheltenham win wait goes on
CHELTENHAM come close but Bedminster held their nerve to edge out a three-run victory at the Victoria Gound to leave the hosts in trouble at the bottom of Premier One.
When the visitors slipped to 99-6 after electing to bat, Cheltenham were in control of the game but a seventh wicket stand of 88 between Matthew Brewer (55) and Gloucestershire’s Tom Smith (50*) turned the game on its head.
George Pritchard (4-55) did the early damage, but at the break the momentum had firmly swung in Bedminster’s favour.
And when Cheltenham slumped to 74-4 including losing the key wickets of county star Gareth Roderick and Josh Breed thanks a superb spell from Scottish international Adrian Neill (3-30) the game seemed out of sight.
Cheltenham captain Nick Evans (46) looked to rebuild the innings but when he was dismissed his team were still 42 runs from their target.
Pritchard (40) gave his team hope but when he was dismissed in the final over Cheltenham’s hope went with him as they fell to an agonising loss.
Cheltenham sit at the bottom of the Premier One table 14 points behind ninth placed Bristol and 23 points from their next opponents, Taunton St
Andrews.
Stroud fell to a seven-run loss to Trowbridge, leaving the team bottom and without a win in WEPL Premier Two.
After bowling out their visitors for 215, Stroud looked set to register a first win when they were well placed at 1655, but Mike Reynold (3-40) bowled his team to victory as Stroud lost their final five wickets for 43 runs.
Dumbleton were on the end of a 116 run home loss as they fell to back to back defeats at the hands of Thornbury.
Dan Davis (85) and Daniel Lezar (86) set the tone with an opening stand of 158 which laid the platform for Marc Lezar (74 from 56) and Yvan Grant (50 from 34) to take the score well past 300.
The home side fell apart in their chase as they sunk to 99-6 however Edd Bragg (69) helped the score look a bit more respectable.
Frocester also picked up a third straight victory.
Five-star Hatherley & Redding’s continued their perfect start to the season as Tom Hage (86) fell short of a hattrick of centuries in WEPL Gloucestershire.
The Hatherley all-rounder has scored 413 runs in five matches this season at an average of 137 as his side hammered Painswick by 102 runs.
Jack Hobbit (4-30) was the pick of the bowlers as the hosts did well to bowl Hatherley out for 228, but the reply never got going for Painswick as Nipuna Gamage (4-6) reeled of four quick wickets as the hosts were bowled out for 126.
Tewksbury poor run of form continued as they lost by the smallest of margins.
Rockhampton set the visitors 212 for victory as Alex Oliver (4-40) had bowled Tewkesbury into a good position.
However despite a last wicket stand of 19, Tewkesbury could not get over the line as lost by an excruciating one run.
Cheltenham Civil Service were thankful to an all-round contribution from George Leadbetter as his 63 and three wickets helped his team to a 17 run victory over Gloucester.
There were also half centuries for Craig Baker (68) and Adrian Mayes (57) as Service posted 255, Scott Montgomery (89) threated to take the chase deep for Gloucester but Leadbetter’s wickets helped bowled the hosts out for 238 in the final over.
Bourton Vale flattened Cirencester on their own patch as they ran away with a 148 run win.
Set 223 for the win, the home side capitulated as they collapsed to 75 all out, extras top scoring with 19 as only one Cirencester player passed double figures.
Ryan Newhook (4-18) started the rot as Max Sheppard joined in on the act picking up 3-7.
Corse & Staunton kept up their good run as they continued the day’s theme and came away with a tight one-wicket victory over Frocester II.
Chad Trainor’s 70 was the mainstay of Frocester II’S 225 as Brad Fulton picked up 4-32, after reaching 164-4, Staunton wobbled to 219-9 but the last wicket pair knocked off the remaining 10 runs for victory.