Sweetfuels CDCA Div Three

Cirencester III 232-8; Charlton 133 all out

CIRENCESTER'S 3rd XI recorded a resounding 99-run victory against Charlton on Saturday.

Standout performances came from Hugh Alder (101) and Bob Lamble (61) with the bat and Trev Hillier (4-44) and Max Arnold (3-14) with the ball.

With the threat of rain around most the afternoon, Cirencester set about scoring runs or getting out quickly, and with three wickets falling before 30 was on the board, it needed Alder and Lamble to build a platform.

Don Oakley (3-19) removed Alder before new captain Rob Watson (28) batted with a renewed sense of responsibility, helping Cirencester reach 232-8 from 40 overs.

George Wadsworth deserves a mention for a superb catch on the boundary when Lamble was looking for another maximum.

Charlton's response began steadily – Gordon Harris (18) and Oakley (12) – against Ciren's opening bowlers, Watson and Andy Hunt.

The introduction of Hillier and Arnold brought about the loss of four quick wickets and it looked just a matter of when Cirencester would wrap up the innings.

A solid partnership between Wadsworth (18*) and Simon Byrne (31) was ended by Watson, with Charlton eventually falling 99 runs short.

The Ciren bowling was well supported by a solid fielding display with a couple of sharp catches taken by Adam Holmes and Richard Moody.