Gloucestershire County League Division One

Cam 108 all out lost to Poulton 231-9 by 123 runs

POULTON put in a top all-around performance away at Cam to make it three wins out of four in the Gloucestershire County League Division One.

Poulton are second in the league and pushing for promotion. They are way off unbeaten league leaders Painswick but two points ahead of third-placed Charlton Kings.

Cam put their opponents in at the crease first and were soon made to count the cost of their decision. Scott Meredith and opening partner Digby Nuthall put together forty before Meredith went for 16.

But undeterred, Nuthall joined forces with number three Mark Burton and the pair put together an excellent partnership of 75 before Nuthall was caught out for 56, having hit eight fours and a six in his 56 runs.

Pourton lost a couple of cheap wickets before Burton forged another good partnership with wicketkeeper Ross Cutts of 41 before Burton, who hit two fours and seven boundaries in his 81-ball knock of 65, was caught.

Cutts, though, found a new partner as John Watson. Cutts perished when trapped in front of his stumps for 33.

Watson followed 13 runs later as Poulton reached 225 for the loss of seven wickets, having swung the bat well to hit a six and two fours in his thirty-ball knock of 34.

And, after two more cheap wickets fell, Poulton finished on 231-9 in their 45 overs.

It was a good target to defend and would give the visiting bowlers every chance of attacking the home batsmen.

And, after a decent start, Cam soon began to unwind. Liam Smith had opener Jake Dolbear trapped lbw for 15 with the home total on 26 before James Newman clean bowled Cam opener Ryan Malpass for 14.

That was 34-2 but it soon went to 65-5 as Cam desperately tried to stay in the match. Number four Ryan Western was caught by Burton off the bowling of Liam James for a single, and number three Sam Buck fell to a Smith catch, again off James, for 14.

When Peter Hall was caught by Charlie Buse off James for four, Poulton were sensing a convincing victory.

And when dangerman Alex Ballard was cleverly stumped by Cutts off Buse for 29, Poulton were almost home and dry.

Cam skipper Adam Holloway, at number seven, tried to stablise their innings and dug in for 32 balls.

Brother Ben Holloway was out for a duck, another victim of the Cutts and Buse combination, and Adam followed for just seven when James trapped him lbw.

That left the home side on 93-8 and it was only a question of whether Poulton could get everyone out before they reached three figures.

But 12 from tail-ender Sean Rocke got Cam over the hundred mark but Buse and Smith rounded off the victory as Cam finished on 108 all out in 33.1 overs.