Town cricketers make it four victories in a row (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Town cricketers make it four victories in a row

CIRENCESTER 1st XI duly completed their fourth win in a row with an emphatic victory over a struggling Old Richians side at Cirencester Park last Saturday.

Having won the toss, Town elected to bat first on what looked a soft but good wicket. Their openers, Reynolds and Walker, again put together a solid base to the hosts' innings with a stand of 47 in 15 overs for the first wicket before the latter departed lbw for 23.

Walker was then joined by Richard Graham who became the main stay of the innings.

With a mixture of good shot selection and running between the wickets, they took the score onto 73 before Walker was bowled for 33 trying to force the pace.

Graham was then joined by Donwill Rodriges who, for the second week in a row, played with freedom in mixing fine shots with a number of flamboyant ones.

These two, with some ease, took the score quickly onto 147 until Rodriges was beaten by the low bounce of the pitch.

Trapped lbw for 40, he was unfortunate to go ten runs short of his first league half-century.

It was left then to Graham, who with the help of the lower middle order, particularly Mark Clayton, to steer Cirencester passed the 200 mark for the second week in a row.

They ended their allotted 45 overs, with an excellent total of 215-6. Richard Graham finished 79 not out, a fine effort by the Cirencester no 3 on a fairly slow wicket.

In reply, Town's opening bowlers, James Shackleton and John Turner, turned the screw on the opposition and, with the help of Dominic Jeffcott, reduced Old Richians to 22-3 in 15 overs.

With the game, even at this early stage, effectively won, Cirencester took their foot off the pedal slightly.

This allowed Old Richians' no 2, M Wilkes, a couple of lives before Ian Butler dismissed him for 26 with the total on 66.

With Ian Butler continuing to bowl a good line and length, Rodriges was then brought on to bowl his leg spin variety which, after the first over, he did so with a good deal of accuracy.

Despite a little late-order resistance from I Sorty (13) and D Cambridge (17), Cirencester were always in control with Butler and Rodriges taking three wickets apiece.

At the finish, Old Richians were bowled out for 111 in the 38th over and still over 100 runs short of their target.

Cirencester had, therefore, completed yet another excellent win, batting positively throughout their innings and supporting their accurate bowling with some solid ground fielding.

Depending on other results in the league, this 22-point maximum win will, hopefully, take them into the top four of the division.

Cirencester 215-6 (R Graham 79 not out, D Rodriges 40, A Walker 33, A Reynolds 23).

Old Richians 111 all out (M Wilkes 26, M Tyreman 26, I Butler 8-2-15-3, D Rodriges 5.5-0-27-3).