Home quarter-final as county secure top spot

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GLOUCESTERSHIRE Under 15 boys claimed an unassailable lead at the top of their ECB Division with a five wicket win over Somerset.

The result ensures the team secure a home quarter final in the national competition.

They secured top spot after restricting Somerset to 231-7 in 50 overs, knocking them off in the 47 th over.

Having lost the toss and been asked to field, Gloucestershire got straight to task when spinner Ryan Kilmister (Dumbleton) had Charlie Sharland caught by Will Gilderson (Dumbleton) with the score on 13.

Wicketeeper James Rew and Adam Rosslee re-established a strong base as both reached half centuries during a second wicket stand of 109.

Gloucestershire skipper Sami Hamid (Winterbourne) mixed and matched his bowlers to try and force an error and Will Hope (Great Rissington) made the breakthrough when Rosslee was caught by Joe Durie (Old Bristolians) for 64.

Praneel Choughule (Thornbury) got the crucial wicket of Rew for 55 when excellent fielding by Gilderson resulted in the run out of Rishi Shimpi (13), which took the visitors to 170-4.

Gilderson removed Ben Chaffey for 25, before Shay Sainsbury was caught by Hamid off Stanley Brown (Cheltenham) for 13.

Brown struck again as Somerset finished their innings on 231-7.

Opening pair Choughule and Hope looked to be positive before the former was undone by a straight one from Jacob Brand for seven.

Brown followed soon afterwards for four being caught behind off the same bowler to make it 34-2.

Hope and George Driver-dickerson (Rockhampton) played with maturity and responsibility to take the game back to Somerset.

The pair put on 125 before Hope was bowled by Max Horton for 80 and Driver-dickerson followed soon after for 56 to bring Nick Shubach (Dumbleton) and skipper Hamid together with the score on 163-4.

The pair rotated the strike putting on 21 before Schubach was bowled for 12.

At 184-5 and still needing 47 to win the game looked to be in the balance but Hamid (31*) and Charlie Brennan (23*) (Bristol) chased down the target with three and a half overs to spare.