CIRENCESTER seconds threw away a winning chance with a below-par performance in the field as they went down by two wickets off the penultimate ball at Witcombe.

Readers Glos CCL Div Four

Witcombe 211-8

Cirencester II 210-8

Batting first the Town lost Dominic Jeffcott in the third over but a fine century stand between Andy Cooper and Jono Jamieson-Black put them well in the driving seat.

Cooper punished anything loose with 13 fours and a six in his 76 before he was caught and bowled while Jamieson-Black accelerated nicely to reach 45 before he was caught.

Jack Roberts then produced a firmly-struck 39 but wickets tumbled in the chase for late runs as the Town eventually reached 210-8 off their 45 overs.

Witcombe were given a flying start to their reply as opener Morgan cut loose from the first over, but he was then contained and eventually clean bowled by off-spinner Jamieson-Black at the start of a tight spell.

Witcombe struggled to maintain the run rate as Patrick Peak proved equally accurate at the other end, but they still had wickets in hand and when the Town bowling became a little ragged they gradually got back into the game, aided by some lacklustre fielding.

Rob Lamble picked up two wickets and there was one each for Roberts, Bram Coleman and John Turner, as Witcombe looked to be faltering, but in the last two overs with 25 required the ninth-wicket pair produced a couple of crucial sixes and they completed an unlikely win with one ball remaining.