YOUTH CRICKET: Gloucestershire reports round-up

Gloucestershire U10s swept aside Oxford U10s, with a 78 run victory at Aston Rowant.

Luke Hope (Great Rissington) lost the toss and Gloucestershire were invited to bat on a green wicket.

James Austin (Winterbourne) and Gus Carini-Roberts (Aston Ingham) made a solid start until the latter was adjudged leg before with the total on 11.

Freddie Sharpe (Dumbleton) replaced him and immediately played some superb attacking shots in an innings of 34, which included sixboundaries.

Austin fell for 17 but Gloucestershire continued to score at six an over with the total reaching 100 in the 16th over.

However, wickets continued to fall but respite came through Hope and Ottie Landale (Cirencester) who added 40 for the 5th wicket.

When Hope fell leg before with the total at 127-5 from 20 overs, it was left to Landale to guide the tail through the 40 overs.

He did this to great effect, supported by Max Dunne (12)(Frocester) and Lysander Tarrant (Bourton Vale) with 18.

But after being starved of the strike in the last few overs Landale was left stranded on 47 not out as Gloucestershire reached a final total of 206-9 in 40 overs.

In the field, Gloucestershire were immediately into the game plan with accurate bowling and tight fielding. After 9 overs, Oxford were 18-3 with Max Trotman (Thornbury) and Jacob Stevenson (Bristol YMCA) each capturing a wicket and Billy Benson (Dumbleton) producing an amazing direct hit run out.

Spencer Gammon (Whitchurch) reduced the home team to 26-4, but then Gloucestershire were held up by Driscoll (41) and Nyarepola (34), who took the total to 97, when Benson bowled Driscoll. The tail crumbled to Tarrant, Stevenson and Dunne as Oxfordshire were eventually all out for 128 in the 39th over.

Gloucestershire manager, Eric Woodmason said: “This was another very effective performance from a team improving by the minute. This was a serious test for them and they came through with flying colours!”

Gloucestershire Women v Durham Women (Durham City CC), May 29 ECB Women’s County Championship Division 3 Durham 147-9 (50 overs) Gloucestershire 150-2 (44.3 overs) Gloucestershire Women won by 8 wickets

Gloucestershire Women returned from long trip north to Durham with a superb 8 wicket win.

A great all-round team performance saw the team restrict Durham to 147 - 9 from their 50 overs and then chase down the target with 5.3 overs to spare for the loss of only two wickets.

On a damp, cool morning, captain Charlie Walker won the toss and asked Durham to bat, Things didn’t go to plan in the first 24 overs of the innings as the Durham openers moved to 81-0, running well and putting the bad ball away.

Sidra Khan made the breakthrough when Alice Hill took a sharp catch at point to dismiss Laura Hockaday for 37.

Khan then bowled a superb 8 over spell of 4 -22 as the hosts lost 5 wickets for 10 runs to fall to 91-5. At the other end Hill kept it tight, conceding only 15 from 10 overs of outstanding off spin while Bhavi Devchand (2-25) and Charlie Phillips (1-25) ensured there was no let up in the pressure.

The bowlers supported with some quality fielding and catching as Gloucestershire made things difficult for their opposition. Durham were indebted to an excellent innings of 32 from Becky Glen who marshalled the tail well to help her side reach 147 - 9 from their 50 overs.

The Glos reply got off to a bad start when Hill was bowled in the first over by the pacy Allisha Alleyne.

Abby Evans and Bethan Moorcraft steadied things with several boundaries before Alleyne had Moorcraft caught behind for 13 with the total on 34.

Evans (52 not out) was joined by Australian Bhavi Devchand (54 not out) and together the pair forged a match winning unbeaten partnership of116.

Things were never easy on a difficult wicket but Devchand was particularly harsh on anything short and wide and rarely missed out when presented with these opportunities.

Evans played the anchor role, placing a high value on her wicket and played the sweep shot particularly well.

Combining firm defence, excellent running between the wickets and taking advantage of the bad ball, the pair patiently and skilfully chased down the target.

Coach Steve Dent said: “Our spinners were again outstanding, particularly Alice who bowled with such intelligence and Sidra was the game changer with her four vital wickets to reign Durham back in after their great start.

“The partnership between Abby and Bhavi was a pleasure to watch. Both were outstanding today and to chase that down target on a wicket that was never easy, was a fantastic achievement”

Gloucestershire Women are next in action against Oxfordshire on Sunday June 12 at Hathlerley & Reddings CC.

Gloucestershire Under 12 Boys v Somerset Under 12 Boys (at Claverham CC), May 29 Somerset U12s 175-6 (40 overs) Gloucestershire U12s 100 all out (24 overs) Somerset won by 75 runs Gloucestershire Under 12s lost to local rivals Somerset by 75 runs after losing their last eight wickets for 50 runs.

Chasing 176 to win the visitors collapsed from 50-2 to 100 all out at Claverham CC.

Four players made starts but were unable to turn them into major contributions in the face of an imposing target.

Earlier Somerset won the toss and chose to bat.

But they lost an early wicket when Will Gilderson (2-19) (Dumbleton) had Joe Eckland caught by Ollie Elliott (Bourton Vale) for seven with the score on 17.

Ben Chaffey and captain/’keeper James Rew consolidated and added 45 before the former became Gilderson’s second victim – clean bowled for 21.

Rew continued to dominate with Michael McNee (14) playing a supporting role in a stand of 75 for the third wicket.

Rew went on to make 78 from 93 balls with 12 fours before becoming the first of two wickets for the returning opener Sami Hamid (Winterbourne) (2-11).

Gloucestershire picked up a number of late wickets to stem the flow of runs and leave them needing 176 for victory.

In reply Glos lost Jake Gaskell (Chippenham) early on but rallied through Praneel Choughule 17 and Stanley Brown (18) (Chippenham) who put on 29 for the second wicket.

Choughule became opening bowler Jack Harding’s second wicket with the score on 35 but again the visitors fought back. Brown and Elliott (18) moved the score on to 50 before Brown fell to Charlie Sharland.

This sparked a collapse as Sharland ripped through the middle order taking 5-26.

Nick Schubach (21*) (Dumbleton) provided some resistance but he ran out of partners as Glos slipped to 100 all out.

Bristol Under 14 v Gloucester and Forest of Dean Under 14 ( at Twyford House CC), May 29 Gloucester and Forest of Dean U14s 133 all out (39.4 overs) Bristol U14 116 all out (25.5 overs) Gloucester and Forest of Dean won by 17 runs.

Gloucester and Forest of Dean (GFOD) produced a brilliant fightback with the ball to seal a 17 run win against Bristol Skipper Luke Carr (Gloucester City Winget) was the star of the show, taking 6-28 in seven overs as Bristol slumped from 60-2 to 116 all out.

Earlier, having won the toss and chosen to bowl first, Bristol opening bowlers Will Jones and Luke Nottage (both Bristol CC) started well, restricting run scoring to a minimum.

Jones made an early breakthrough having James Whitmore (Tewkesbury) caught behind for two.

With runs still hard to come by Leon Hartl (Stapleton) was introduced into the attack and picked up the wickets of Will Salter (15) (Parkend), Tim Andrew (15) and Oliver Cook (0) (Aston Ingham) in quick succession.

The dangerous Hamza Shazad (7) (Gloucester City Winget) was also run out in this period as GFOD struggled to impose themselves on the game.

Carr was solid throughout and made a well-earned 12 before Jones returned to have him caught.

Despite two more players reaching double figures no one else could go on and GFOD were indebted to Bristol's lack of discipline with the ball as 42 wides helped bolster the score.

Nottage (2-14) returned to clean up the tale as the away side finished on 133 all out in the last over.

In reply Bristol got off to a fantastic start thanks to the powerful hitting of Adam Hares (28) (Bedminster) who played some attractive shots all around the ground.

He was supported by club mate Lewis Shean (10) who was taking singles and playing a supporting role.

Hares fell to opener Sam McCormack (Hatherley and Reddings) and JJ Hughes (13) (Old Bristolians Wesbury) suffered the same fate with Bristol on 60.

At this stage the home side still seemed in control but spinner Carr had other ideas. He wasn't afraid to bowl with some flight and make the home batsman make mistakes. The middle order fell apart, scoring a combined 15 between them as the game hung in the balance.

Cameron Carr (Bishopston) batted with maturity to keep the game alive but when he hit a simple catch to long on for 25, this was the beginning of the end. Jones was the last man to fall for 4 off of the bowling of Carr which gave him figures of 6-28 and Bristol all out for 116.

After the defeat Bristol coach Olly Ralph said: “It's not often I’m left speechless but today was one of those days! Luke Carr bowled well and made our batsman play some silly shots and we didn't react to the game situation.

“Luckily we have a game again next week so we can hopefully put things right and get back to winning ways.”

In the other Under 14 district match Stroud and South Gloucestershire recorded an emphatic 82 run win over Cheltenham and Cotswolds.

Wicketkeeper/captain Jonny Peterson (Winterbourne) led by example with 87, while allrounder Ewen Gegg (Frocester) made a useful 51 to help their side to 225-6 from their 40 overs. Charlton Kings pair Jack Hughes (2-39) and Matt Luxton (2-34) both took two wickets each for the visitors.

In reply Matt Long (Charlton Kings) made 40 and a number of other batsmen made starts but they were unable to go on to the big score their team required to chase down the imposing total.

Sam Long (3-24) (Rockhampton) proved the pick of the bowlers as SSG restricted C and C to 143-7 in 40 overs.

After the first two rounds of fixtures GFOD top the league on 16 points followed by Bristol and SSG on 10 each with C&C fourth with six.