Bank House Glos CCL Div One

Cirencester 171-9; Cam 164 all out

AFTER A series of convincing early-season victories it was inevitable that Cirencester's table-topping 1st XI would at some point come up against a much sterner test, and so it proved on Saturday with the visit of newly-promoted Cam.

Having won the toss and decided to bat first the Cirencester openers made a steady start, reaching 32 without loss after the first 10 overs.

However, given the amount of swing and movement that the visiting bowlers were managing to extract it wasn't long before this position of security was replaced with one more closely approaching a crisis – 13 overs later the scoreboard read 67-5.

Andy Reynolds then stepped up to show a bit of fight and determination to prevent the crisis developing into a calamity.

By mixing stout defence with exquisite stroke play against any loose delivery he set about the rebuilding process. At the fall of the seventh wicket he was joined by the equally-dogged Simon Rowe (23) and between them they manoeuvred the home team skilfully towards a target that offered some respectability.

When Reynolds was eventually trapped LBW for 41 in the 41st over the score had moved on to 144.

Some fine ball striking by Tom Fullalove (18*) at the close projected the score to a creditable 171-9, a total which while not exactly fearsome was significantly better than could have been expected at the halfway point and one which owed everything to the character and skill of the lower order.

The Cam reply began in a similar if slightly more fluent fashion to Cirencester's earlier in the day. But with the score at 34 in the seventh over and with the league's leading run scorer Pete Hall looking comfortable, it was time for an early entry into the attack for the league's leading wicket taker, Jock Jamieson-Black.

Within two balls Hall was trudging back to the pavilion, and was followed by three other team-mates in successive Jamieson-Black overs.

In order to restrict the damage the batsmen were content to opt for survival in his remaining overs as he finished with figures of 4-23.

During this time Michael Glover started to build an innings in the same manner as Reynolds had done, and even though progress was sometimes slow he never let the target get to more than six an over.

However, with overs running out he tried to increase the scoring rate and eventually fell to a Fullalove off-cutter for 41. With six overs remaining and needing 24 to win for the final wicket it looked as though the advantage was with the home side, but a spirited quick-fire 13 from Alex Ballard brought Cam back into the game.

Then, needing just eight to win from three overs Jack Roberts was brought back and duly delivered a ball that proved too quick and straight for George Dolling, the Cam number 11, and so a tight victory was finally secured by Cirencester.