CRICKET: Will Mason inspires Cirencester to easy win over derby rivals Bourton Vale

On a difficult looking wicket, Bourton Vale won the toss and asked Cirencester to bat first. Opening pair Jamie Jamieson-Black and partner Will Mason started in typically positive manner, finding the boundary on a number of occasions in the early overs.

After 11 overs, and with Cirencester well set on 42 without loss, the covers were required as a period of rain arrived – and the ground staff worked wonders in limiting the rain damage to the wicket during a sustained shower.

When play resumed the game had been reduced to 39 overs per side. With Cirencester already 11 overs into that, Mason and Jamieson-Black stepped on the gas.

A flurry of fours and sixes saw the total rise to 110 before Jamieson-Black was well caught for an entertaining 61.

With support from Alex Binnie (17) and Jason Steyn (15) Cirencester posted an imposing 202-4 from their 39 overs with Mason finishing on an unbeaten 95 that was pure box-office.

After the tea interval, Cirencester set about their opponents through Billy Breen, with veteran seamer Tom Fullalove coming up the hill.

Breen removed Ollie Forbes, well caught at slip by Mason, and Fullalove took the wicket of danger man Charlie Garrett with a trademark delivery seaming into off stump.

The Bourton reply never got going after that and only the visitors' overseas player Josh Smith offered any resistance, finishing on 39 not out. The change bowling of Gareth Williams and James Waller tore through the middle order, adn the wickets included an incredible catch from skipper Williams that saw him dive full stretch to his left to remove Ashley Jones.

The innings finished with Simon Rowe taking the last two wickets as Bourton ended all out for 98.

The win gave Cirencester a huge 21 points and this weekend sees them travel to Chipping Sodbury hoping to build on the winning momentum.