CIRENCESTER seconds saw their recent winning run come to an end as they eventually went down by 112 runs in a wildly fluctuating contest at Sheepscombe.

Readers Glos CCL Div Four

Sheepscombe 206 all out

Cirencester II 94 all out

Electing to bat first, the hosts suffered the worst possible start as both their openers were run out in the first two overs, quick throws by Andy Cooper and Jim Woodcock leaving both men stranded as young keeper Adam Holmes gathered cleanly to confirm their fate.

Holmes then dived superbly to take Horder’s edge off the bowling of his brother Jake and more fine bowling by John Turner and Patrick Peake kept Sheepscombe pinned down before a wicket for Turner and another for Tom Elsey’s accurate pace left the home side struggling at 59-5 after 23 overs.

That brought Archie Trow in to join the patient Millar and they gradually improved the situation, putting the 100 up in the 30th over before the introduction of spin sparked a sudden change in home fortunes.

Dick Tugwell bowled Millar round his legs to make it 102-6, but then Trow cut loose with a barrage of eight sixes to the short boundaries that yielded a total of 57 runs from four overs from the pavilion end spin of Jono Jamieson-Black and the unfortunate Chris Moy whose lone over went for 21 runs.

Tugwell pegged away at the other end and should have had a stumping when Trow chased down the wicket on 98 out of 187-6. The chance went begging but Holmes quickly atoned with another brilliant catch off Elsey’s next over to finally dismiss Trow still two runs short of a century.

When he departed the Town quickly polished off the rest of the innings, Tugwell claiming three more wickets to finish with 4-37 as Unwin was left unbeaten on 35 out of a final total of 206.

Town openers Cooper and Woodcock began the reply confidently enough adding 40 off 12 overs before the introduction of Bertie Trow’s spin saw Woodcock loft a catch to mid-off and then Cooper was bowled for 18.

Dominic Jeffcott soon followed caught at mid-on and Elsey hit one huge six before he was fourth out with the score on 68-4 in the 21st over.

Jamieson-Black and Tugwell then raised hopes briefly adding 31 for the fifth wicket until the latter was caught and bowled.

Sadly that dismissal heralded a dramatic collapse as the last five wickets fell for as many runs inside two overs, Town slumping from 89-4 to 94 all out.

A MUCH-DEPLETED Cirencester thirds suffered a shattering defeat as CDCA Div Three title rivals Tetbury triumphed by 165 runs in The Park.

Batting first, Tetbury rarely looked in trouble as they amassed 224-7 off their 40 overs and the Town side never got going in reply, slumping to 59 all out.