ASTON’s 1st XI cruised to a seven-wicket home win over Kingsholm in just 22 overs after skittling the city side out for 124.

Anthony James with 3-24 off nine overs and Oli Dennis with 3-39 off nine starred with the ball as Kingsholm were all out in 35.1 overs in the Gloucestershire League One clash.

In reply, Aston were 33-2, but James Benn with an unbeaten 44 and Toby Hiran with 31 not out eased them to 125-3, a result which leaves them fourth.

The 2nds scored a giant 275-4 off their 40 overs, but still fell to a 69-run defeat to basement hosts Highnam 1sts on a baking hot day in the Cheltenham/Gloucester/Forest Premier Division.

Stef Jolley hit 146 not out for Highnam, backed by Dilawar Oryakhil with 88 as they racked up a huge 344-2.

In reply, Aston opener Jimmy Davies hit a round 100 not out, while Dan Smith just missed a ton with 94 not out before the innings ended, with Aston now tied for fourth.

The 3rds also fell by 97 runs at home to St Briavels in CGF Division 1 West to slip to the bottom of the table.

Lucia Carini-Roberts took four wickets and Mark Landon two as the visitors set a target of 203 all out in 36.4 overs.

Aston struggled from the off in reply, and were soon 14-3 and then 50-8, but 25 from ninth man Andrew Gardner and 19 from Philip Leighton lifted them to 106 all out in 29.3 overs.

Five wickets from Sam Waterhouse and 82 from Josh Blake boosted the 4ths away to Woodpeckers 2nds, but they still missed out by 22 runs.

The hosts were dismissed for 171 in 29 overs, Waterhouse’s victims coming for 24 off four overs, while Freddie Hay took 3-15 off his four.

But apart from opener Blake and 21 from Waterhouse, no one else made double figures as Aston were all out for 149 in 36 overs.

Sunday’s Friendly XI secured a five-wicket win over hosts Gotherington, though, Anthony James cracking an unbeaten 102 and Tom Chick 36 not out as they scored 221-5 in 33 overs to chase down the hosts’ 217-9 off 40 overs.

Max Evans starred with the ball taking four wickets, backed by James and Ethan Drew-White with two apiece.

Goodrich maintained their lead at the top of Marches Division 1 with a tight two-wicket win at Wormelow.

Chris Tookey took four wickets and Jack Lewis two as Wormelow set a target of 229 all out in 44.3 overs, James Snow top-scoring with 82 and Jasper Linley-Adams firing 48.

Goodrich reached 29 before losing their first wicket, but were quickly 35-3 until Tookey and Sean Weller stabilised the situation, the former scoring 36 and the latter 47.

Jack Waldis with 37, Joe Provis with 27 and Joe Griffiths 25 not out then helped them over the line to 230-8 with just four balls to spare.

Fownhope Strollers 1st XI scored 182 all out in the same division, but still fell to a 172-run loss after visitors Builth Wells racked up 354-9 in their 45 overs.

Ben Boswell took four wickets for Strollers, including two catches for Ethan Lerego, who himself secured a three-wicket haul in a long hot day in the field.

But reduced to 11-3 and then 55-5, the target remained well out of reach, Doug Roberts top-scoring with 36, Alex Carter hitting 31 and Adam Evans 26 before they were dismissed in 36 overs.

The 2nds also suffered a 100-run T20 Junior Cup loss away to Almeley 2nds after the hosts set a target of 192-5.

Strollers struggled in reply after both openers went for ducks, Luke Bailey top-scoring with 27 before they were all out for 92 in 19 overs.

Also in Marches One, a target of 213 all out off 40.4 overs looked defendable for Woolhope at home to Canon Frome after a 63 from Ben Park, 41 from Ben Owen and 37 from Dom Larkin.

But the visitors lost just one wicket as they reached 217 in 32 overs, Sarvesh Kotian cracking 121 not out.

The 2nds lost on the very last ball in their T20 Junior Cup game away to Dales 2nds.

Tom Lacey scored 35 and Nathan Ward 25 in their 132-5, before Dales squeezed to victory by the smallest of margins scoring 133-6.

Newent 1st XI also lost narrowly at home to Gloucester AIW in Gloucestershire Division 2.

Morgan Evans hit 78 and Richard Howell 45, with the openers sharing a 100-run partnership, while Richard Henry hit 38 as they reached 194-4 in 40 overs.

But the city outfit then scored 200-8 in reply to leave the hosts fourth, Adam Curtis taking four wickets and Tom Morley and Jack Cowles two apiece.

The Lions also lost out right at the death in CGF One West, as hosts Alvington & Woolaston passed the target in the final over to score 206-8.

Braden Stonehouse top-scored with 53 for Newent, backed by Andrew Duggan with 44 and Ollie Corston with 30.

Andrew Brookes took three wickets and Wayne Phillips and Corston two apiece as they almost denied the hosts.

Andrew Beaven weighed in with four wickets as Dymock 1st XI dismantled Churchdown by nine wickets to move up to second in Division 4 of the Gloucestershire League.

Dan Gale, James Field and Matthew Barratt also took two apiece as the hosts were dismissed for 123 in 36 overs.

Sam Peacock then hit 40 and Gale 36 as Dymock raced to 125-1 in 20 overs.

The 2nds also saw off derby rivals Newent 3rds by five wickets in CGF Division 2 West, Nick Willetts firing 62 and David Williams 35 not out as they scored 123-5 in 19 overs in reply to the visitors’ 119 all out off 33 overs.

Williams also took five Newent wickets, with Oliver Scott with 26 and Claire Godwin with 22 their highest scorers.