SUPERB bowling by Cirencester pacemen Billy Breen and Ross Jeffels sent visitors Oldlands sliding to 34 all out and a crushing 137-run defeat in a rain-affected county league clash in The Park on Saturday.

Readers Glos CCL Div One

Cirencester 173-4

Oldlands 34 all out

Breen was the main destroyer with 5-14 in seven overs, while Jeffels took 2-16 at the other end as Oldlands were sent packing inside 18 overs. Oldlands had been set 174 to win in a contest that was reduced to 35 overs per side by two breaks for rain.

Earlier the Town side had been in fine batting form with opener Ben Moody leading the run charge with an excellent unbeaten 80.

Moody produced a barrage of boundary shots in a fine stand with skipper Gareth Williams before the latter was caught behind off Dave Walton for 27.

A 15-minute rain break then delayed proceedings and although Will Rudd was run out and Jock Jamieson-Black was caught off Walton, Moody found an equally belligerent partner in Will Mason who hit a rapid unbeaten 25 before further rain forced the players off and tea was taken with the Town on 173-4 in the 34th over.

When play resumed at 6pm the overs restriction hardly favoured the Town side who had been looking at a total well in excess of 200 with Moody perhaps unlucky to be denied a century.

But Breen and Jeffels instantly wrought havoc with the ball as both visiting openers were dismissed for ducks.

Restricted to desperate defence a 10-man Oldlands side were never in the hunt after that as Breen in particular proved almost unplayable.

Only one visiting batsman managed to reach double figures and three more fell without scoring before Mason came on to take the eighth wicket and Simon Rowe polished off the last man in his second over to complete the rout.