Bank House Glos CCL Div One

Apperley 182-9

Cirencester 108 all out

CIRENCESTER crashed to their first defeat of the season – but remain top of the Bank House-sponsored county league – after a 69-run defeat at Apperley in a rain-affected match, writes Matt Carter.

The Apperley captain Luke Smith won the toss and after some deliberation elected to bat with a run chase likely to be trickier if the rain stayed around.

The openers Andy O’Connor (42) and Smith (25) were watchful early on and dispatched anything short of a length to the boundary.

Billy Breen (2-23) was the pick of the Cirencester bowlers delivering three maidens in a row.

The away side managed to keep things tight in the field and with the introduction of the league’s leading wicket taker Tom Fullalove (3-36) and a period of prolonged pressure, wickets were the result.

First to go was Smith when edging behind and then Toby Dudfield (0) was smartly caught by Simon Rowe at mid-on. Jimmy Williams (0) again edged behind off Fullalove and the Apperley innings was in danger of losing impetuous.

Then came a match-winning innings from Australian player Corey Pollard (50) who along with some power hitting was also dynamic between the wickets, gaining singles where there didn’t appear to be any and turning ones into twos which frustrated the bowling side.

Pollard was ably supported at the other end by James Griffiths (22) and despite a slight fall away towards the end of the innings Apperley racked up an impressive 182-9 from their reduced 37 overs.

The Cirencester batsman found conditions hard to bat in and by the end of play the teams and been on and off the field four times with the rain refusing to go away completely, meaning the target was reduced to 177 from 36 overs.

Jamie Jamieson-Black played some nice strokes through backward point and the covers but the momentum was with the home side and they never let the pressure off. The star with the bat Pollard (2-9) also proved miserly with the ball.

Town kept losing wickets and despite some good lower-order hitting from Andy Reynolds (15) and Billy Breen (11) they were eventually bowled out for 108 off 30 overs, with Dave Means (3-21) being the pick of the home bowlers.

This week Cam travel to Cirencester Park and all support is very welcome.