Bank House Glos CCL Div One

Cirencester 141-2 Cinderford St John 138 all out

CIRENCESTER clinched the GCCL Division One title in style on Saturday with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Cinderford St John.

Cinderford elected to bat first and the decision looked to have backfired early when strikes from opening bowlers Will Mason (2-19) and Billy Breen (1-25) removed their skipper Simon Gwynne (2), Richard Bywater and Craig Rich, reducing the visitors to 36-3.

A fine and typically miserly spell from Andy Cox kept the visitors quiet and he removed Mark House (26) with an almost comical joint-juggling caught and bowled to leave the visitors on 44-4.

A solid stand between Nigel Cartwright (41*) and Steve Roberts moved the hosts up to 110 before Tom Fullalove produced a fine delivery to bowl the latter for 29.

Cinderford were not able to deal with a destructive burst from swing bowler Simon Rowe (4-18) which left them all out for a below-par 138 and gave Rowe his 100th 1st XI wicket for the club.

Cirencester needed no motivation knowing that 139 runs stood between them and the league title. They made an outstanding start with Mason and Will Rudd taking the game to the bowlers, racing to 53-0 in the first eight overs.

Jordan Warren (1-31) and Matthew Jones (1-29) made the vital breakthrough for Cinderford removing Mason and Rudd for crisply-struck scores of 31 and 24 respectively.

This brought the familiar partnership of Ben Moody and 16-year-old Jono Jamieson-Black to the crease. Jono continued his fine recent form with the bat and was ably supported by Moody when Cirencester reached the victory target inside 37 overs.

Jono ended with 49* and Moody scored 31* and it prompted wild celebrations at the Park where the league title had never been won in 11 previous attempts.

It's been a convincing season-long performance from the Cirencester 1st XI and a special mention goes to the absent skipper Gareth Williams for leading the team so brilliantly to this position.

On Saturday the town side travel to second-placed Westbury-on-Severn and 24 hours later they will attempt to complete the league and cup double when they play Charlton Kings in the County Trophy final at Cheltenham CC.