County league shines in new season (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

County league shines in new season

THE first Saturday of the County League season brought genuine cricketing weather and the First and Second XIs delivered sparkling results to match.

The Firsts hosted newly promoted Painswick with a strong batting line-up but missing several front-line bowlers.

However, 16-year-old James Denyer produced a superb performance that had the visitors reeling on 19-3, with figures of three wickets for 12 in his six-over spell.

Although the Painswick middle order steadied the ship, the Cirencester bowlers kept up a steady flow of wickets, with veteran Jon Turner delivering three successive maidens in his return of 2-40 and Olly Whitaker (3-47) bowling the last man with the score on 185.

The Town openers were former Cheltenham captain, John Beard, and Rich Hudson.

They kept the scoreboard ticking over, although Beard had a let off that Painswick would rue when a regulation catch was put down in the covers.

The opening stand produced 94 at five-an-over before Hudson (32) edged a catch to the wicket keeper.

Ex-Frocester man, Ally Bray (33no), then joined Beard who was six short of a century when the winning runs were struck.

The Second XI travelled to play the first match for 20 years on Cheltenham Saracens' ground.

Not surprisingly, runs were hard to come by, a tight opening spell by skipper Phil Carter (2-18) setting a tone that all his bowlers followed.

Saracens only managed 85-8 from their 45 overs, with Clive Brown (2-14) and Dominic Jeffcott (2-6 off seven overs) having the pick of the other bowling figures.

Cirencester boasted a strong batting line-up.

A swashbuckling innings from Andy Cooper (32) led the way to a six-wicket victory with 16 overs to spare.

The Sunday XI travelled to Avening and Cherington and enjoyed a competitive match.

Captain Dan Robbins (52) continued his rich vein of form to lead the way to 146-8 in the allotted 40 overs.

Cirencester produced a good all-round bowling performance, with newcomer Shahheen Adam (2-15) notching his first wickets for the Club, but they could not prevent an A & C victory by three wickets in the last over.

Readers Gloucestershire County Cricket League Division 1

Cirencester v Painswick Result: Cirencester won by nine wickets Toss: Painswick

Painswick S Savides b Denyer 4 W Neville b Denyer 1 D Boon b Whitaker 103 S Cook c Rutter b Denyer 4 D Cox c&b Turner 12 W von Mollendorff b Turner 8 D Cave b Reynolds 12 W Jamieson c Beard b Whitaker 8 I Hogg c Rutter b Moore 13 M Taylor not out 2 S Base b Whitaker 0 Extras 18 Total (for 10 wkts, 43.2 overs) 185 Bowling: J Denyer 3-30, J Turner 2-40, I Moore 1-37, O Whitaker 3-47, A Reynolds 1-25

Cirencester J Beard not out 94 R Hudson c w/k D Cave 32 A Bray not out 33 Extras 28 Total (for 1 wkt, 36.1 overs) 187 Bowling: D Cave 1-41

Cheltenham Saracens 2nd XI v Cirencester 2nd XI Readers Gloucestershire County Cricket League 2nd XI Division 1 Cheltenham Saracens 2nd XI v Cirencester 2nd XI Result: Cirencester 2nd XI won by six wickets Toss: Cirencester 2nd XI

Cheltenham Saracens 2nd XI D Miller b P Carter 16 I Viles lbw b P Carter 7 J Denley run out (T Burgess-Smith) 8 D Edwards c T Burgess-Smith b D Jeffcott 9 M Denley c D Hudson b D Jeffcott 11 R Pittaway not out 10 C Pates c J Gilchriest b C Brown 0 V Ram b C Brown 0 M Harvey c A Cooper b T Burgess-Smith 1 M Pates not out 1 Extras 14 Total (for 8 wkts, 45 overs) 85 Bowling: P Carter 2-18, C Brown 2-14, D Jeffcott 2-6, T Burgess-Smith 1-10

Cirencester 2nd XI innings D Hudson c Edwards b D Millar 4 A Cooper b R Pittaway 32 R Graham c M Denley 21 J Gilchriest lbw b J Denley 17 D Jeffcott not out 2 D Shackleton not out 0 Extras 10 Total (for 4 wkts, 29.1 overs) 86 Bowling: R Pittaway 1-32, D Millar 1-39, J Denley 1-2.

Cirencester v Avening & Cherington (Sunday, Friendly) Result: Avening & Cherington won by three wickets

Cirencester A Reynolds c Morris 16 S Rowe lbw b Morris 3 D Robbins c Richings 52 M Carter lbw Ally 0 O Whitaker b Clarke 6 T Shackel c Alley 9 T Putney b Hudd 8 J Denyer run out 12 S Adam not out 11 T Burgess-Smith run out 5 Extras 21 Total (for 9 wkts, 40 overs) 146 Bowling: D Morris 2-19, M Alley 2-14, J Clarke 1-22, Hudd 1-35, J Richings 1-30

Avening & Cherington G Jewell b T Putney 1 J Clarke c&b T Burgess-Smith 35 S Hudd c Shackel b S Adam 5 P Hudd b S Adam 0 D Whiting c Reynolds b O Whitaker 42 J Richings c Shackel b T Burgess-Smith 4 R Kerry lbw A Reynolds 6 M Alley not out 17 D Thomas not out 18 Extras 29 Total (for 7 wkts, 39.1 overs) 147 Bowling: S Adam 2-15, T Putney 1-16, T Burgess-Smith 2-23, O Whitaker 1-20, A Reynolds 1-12.