Sweetfuels CDCA Div Two

Coates 206-9; Fairford II 231-7

FAIRFORD seconds won a hard-fought match against fellow CDCA Division Two strugglers Coates by 25 runs.

Reinvigorated by a few weeks in Australia, Fairford's opening batsman Rich Cowley scored an impressive 90. He started slowly before going on to punish any balls even slightly off line or length. He put on 135 for the second wicket with Simon Embleton-Smith (37) before the team's experienced lower middle order took the total up to a challenging 231-7.

Graham Clarke's 29 included three sixes off consecutive deliveries, while Colin Denness made a punchy 20 and Rich Young a quick-fire 8*.

Mark Hayes was the pick of the Coates bowling, deserving even better than his 3-31, as several chances went begging.

Chaz Robinson and Peter Ledger both recorded identical figures of 2-55 off eight overs.

Coates' reply started explosively, 23 runs coming from their second over. They batted aggressively to put themselves in pole position at the halfway point of their innings, reaching 123 for the sole loss of Simon Richards (37) after 20 overs.

Home skipper J Richardson survived an early chance to lead from the front until he holed out for 67, attempting a second consecutive straight six. The visitors worked hard to establish a degree of control after his departure, pushing the required run rate up steadily to a level that eventually proved beyond the home side's valiant efforts.

All Fairford's bowlers took wickets – three for Colin Denness, two for Rich Bennett and one each for Olly Holland and Rich Young.

Graham Clarke came on to wrap things up with the last two wickets as Coates were all out for 206 in the 39th over.

Fairford's victory moved them off the bottom of CDCA Division Two.