A STERLING 68 and five wickets from Anthony James helped fire Aston Ingham 1sts to a 53-run WEPL win at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The village side reached 212 all out in 47.1 overs, and were also indebted to Jack Carpenter with 38 and Dharzekanth Yoganadan 36 as the only other batters to reach double figures.

James also stole the bowling headlines, taking five for 35 off his 10 overs, backed by Mohamed Dilshad with 3-16-7, and single strikes from Angus Bartlett and Sam Didcote, as the hosts were dismissed for 159 in 45 overs.

The win followed a tight 12-run Forest Hundred midweek victory at Lydney.

Clyde Breetzke fired 74 and Craig Baker 49 in an unbeaten partnership as the visitors reached 174-2 in their 100 balls.

And Lydney were then limited to 162-7 in reply, Isaac Goulding taking two wickets, and Drew Stafford, Carpenter and Will Kelsall one apiece.

But on Saturday, the 2nds lost another close affair by just nine runs away to Arcadians Nine 1sts in Gloucestershire League 6A.

The hosts reached 204-8 off 40 overs Andrew Day and Simon Clark taking wicket braces, and Sam Fitzmaurice, Breetzke, David Skyrme and Joseph Day one each.

An unbeaten 58 including two sixes and five fours from Fitzmaurice then kept Aston in the game to the end of their overs, following 29 from skipper opener Jimmy Davies and 26 from Joshua Henson, but they fell just short on 195-9.

The 3rds won another close affair though, beating visitors Ruardean Hill 2nds by 16 runs at Mill Meadow.

Aston scored 142-9 off 40 overs, opener Mark Mathias starring with 63 backed by Joel Fishpool 18, Will King 17 and Isaac Goulding 15.

And the bowlers then restricted Ruardean's last six batters to just 20 scoring runs as they dismissed them for 126 in 32.2 overs, Luke Ward taking 4-25, Oliver Dennis 3-15, Phil Leighton 2-29 and Goulding 1-37.

And the 4ths were also on song, winning by 26 runs away to Westbury-on-Severn 3rds.

Aston were 161 all out of 37.4 overs, eighth man Archie Lane firing 35 following 21 from Drew Stafford, 19 from Nathan Davis and 16 from Colin Leighton.

Will Kelsall then took 4-11, Leighton 2-22 and Davis 2-5 as Westbury were bowled out for 135 in 23.3 overs.

But Sunday saw a 146-run Gloucestershire Trophy loss for the 2nds away to Golden Hill 2nds.

The hosts set a huge 330-6 target as Skyrme and Kelsall took wicket braces, their third batsman scoring 152 not out, which included 24 fours and four sixes.

Aston then came within three balls of seeing out their overs, but were all out for 184, Clyde Breetzke scoring 41, Joshua Henson 37 and Isaac Goulding 30.

But their Women’s XI were celebrating the same day, beating visitors Corse & Staunton by 41 runs in the Forest of Dean T20 League.

Openers Melissa Watson with 50 retired not out and Charlotte Yemm with 48 gave them a superb start, with Vanessa Ward chipping in with 10, as they reached 162-2.

And although Cerys Kings with 53 retired unbeaten and Deborah Cox with 36 not out put up a good fight, Aston restricted the reply to 121-3.

Aston visit Penallt & Redbrook in the Forest Hundred on Wednesday night (June 17) before the 1sts host Chipping Campden in the WEPL on Saturday (June 20).