Gecko CDCA Div Two
Cricklade 119-6
Fairford 2nd XI 90 all out
FAIRFORD 2nds lost their first CDCA league match for two months, soundly beaten by 29 runs in a low-scoring game on a difficult wicket at Cricklade.

The home side's top three batsmen grafted their way to match-winning innings, while three of the visitors' top four were out for ducks as their attempt to score 120 for victory went horribly wrong.

Fairford opted to bowl first and restricted the home team to just 45-1 off their first 20 overs. While the visitors' bowling was generally accurate and difficult to score off, their fielding did not match its usual standards.

Home captain, M Gilmore was dropped twice in the same over off the unlucky Will Chapman before going on to top-score with a crucial 45. He received useful support from A Robbins (24) and B Dewsbury (17) at the top of the order before Fairford eventually managed to make some inroads into the home batting line-up.

Olly Holland was the pick of Fairford's attack, steaming in to take 4-14 in his eight overs while Jack Grierson and Ben Cohoon picked up a wicket each as Cricklade 2nds finished their 40 overs on 119-6.

Craig Muir (very welcome back at Fairford CC after a few years away) found the boundary twice in the opening over of Fairford's reply but their top order then imploded spectacularly against the home side's disciplined and accurate opening bowlers, Robbins and Ken Lawson, who both bowled their eight-over spells unchanged for the impressive figures of 3-25 and 3-12 respectively.

Grierson showed some fight at number five and was on 16 out of 61-6 at the halfway stage of the innings. However, I Hazell managed to get a useful in-swinger through his defences in the first over after drinks before going on to mop up the tail.

Hazell finished with 3-7 as Fairford were all out for a very disappointing 90 in the 27th over.