Gloucestershire Under 17 Boys v Worcestershire Under 17 Boys (at Bishopston CC)
ECB Royal London Under 17 One Day Cup - Group 4A
Gloucestershire 213 all out (45.2 overs)
Worcestershire 95 all out (35.3 overs)
Gloucestershire won by 118 runs

Gloucestershire under-17s secured qualification from the group stages of the ECB Cup with a game to spare following a comprehensive 118-run win over Worcestershire.

The victory – their third in a row – came after they set the visitors a target of 214 and bowled them out for just 95.

Bedminster’s George Drissell was the lead man once again, producing a fine spell of spin bowling to take 6-26 from his 10 overs supported by a superb fielding display from the hosts.

Having won the toss on a good pitch at Bishopston, Gloucestershire quickly put Worcestershire on the back foot with Milo Ayres (Brislington) hitting the fourth ball of the game for a huge six over square leg. He continued in this vein, bludgeoning boundaries, before falling for 46 in the eighth with the score on 53.

Ayre’s knock set a platform for Ed Webb (Thornbury) and Ben Charlesworth (11) (Gloucestershire Academy) who put on 83 for the second wicket before Webb fell for a well-made 50.

After this wickets fell regularly with spin accounting for nine of the 10 Gloucestershire wickets. Bristol CC’s Matt Brewer was the only one to look at home against the turning ball but he was left stranded on 28 as the home side were bowled out for 213.

In response Gloucestershire got off to a fine start with Harry Hankins (2-9) (Bath) picking up two early wickets in a quick opening spell. Some tidy overs from skipper Tom Price (Gloucestershire Academy) and Charlesworth kept the runs down but it was the introduction of Drissell which turned the game.

With the help of some superb catching, two from Ayres and two off his own bowling, Drissell went through the middle order to leave Worcestershire hanging by a thread.

Worcestershire opener Jack Haynes (60) stood firm and was the only player to reach double figures before becoming one of Ollie Price’s two victims (2-15) (Gloucestershire Academy) as Gloucestershire completed a comprehensive victory.

Coach Tim Hancock reflected on the game: “Obviously the batters still have a bit to work on especially against the spinners still but it is very encouraging to see how they are going about their work and are unafraid to play positively which has been missing in recent years.

“It was great to get the platform from the openers and a big team score feels just around the corner. The bowling and fielding display was as good as I have seen at under-17 level with everyone supporting the bowlers, and bowlers and captain working well together to get the fields in the right place. The challenge for this group now is to step up again in the upcoming games.”

Gloucestershire Under 15 Girls v Somerset Under 15 Girls (at Frenchay CC)
ECB Women’s Under 15 County Championship, 40 Over – Division A
Gloucestershire 178-9 (40 overs)
Somerset 131 all out 30. 5 overs
Gloucestershire won by 47 runs

AND

Gloucestershire Under 15 Girls v Hampshire Under 15 Girls (at St Cross Symondians CC)
ECB Women’s U15 County Championship, 40 Over – Division A
Hampshire 191 all out (39 overs)
Gloucestershire 39 all out (14.1 overs)
Hampshire won by 152 runs

Gloucestershire achieved an emphatic win over local rivals Somerset before being brought back down to earth with a 152-run defeat to Hampshire in the ECB under-15 Women’s County Championship.

Against Somerset Gloucestershire slipped to 35-3 but recovered with a fourth-wicket partnership of 107 scored at better than a run-a-ball between Natasha Wraith (Frenchay) and Zoe Dibble (Apperley).

Dibble made 42 off 54 balls with five boundaries before falling to Niamh Holland. Wicketkeeper Wraith continued her assault on the Somerset bowlers, reaching 87 off 73 balls with 14 fours before eventually being caught and bowled by Neve Kennedy (4-5) with the score on 171.

Kennedy’s spell ensured Gloucestershire were reined back in at the end of their innings, finishing on 178-9 from their 40 overs.

A run out from Amy Johnson (Dumbleton) and a wicket for Maddie Hughes (Frenchay) reduced Somerset to 16-2 in reply with both openers gone.

Harriet Dimdore-Miles (34) and Elodie Jollife (46) staged a strong fightback with a partnership of 55 before Dimdore-Miles was caught by Dibble off the bowling of Ellie Fleck (Dumbleton). Jollife tried to hold the side together as wickets fell around her before being stumped by the quick hands of Wraith off the bowling of Hughes.

With Jolliffe gone Somerset were bowled out for 131 all. Wickets were shared around with Hughes taking 3-13, Dibble 2-4 and Maisie Hunkin (2-21) (Frenchay).

Against Hampshire, Gloucestershire got off to a good start, reducing the hosts to 40-4. But Lucia Kendall held firm scoring 101 off 119 balls to help her side post 191. For Gloucestershire Hunkin picked up 3-25 and there were two apiece for Helen Cutler (2-33) (Claverham) and Hughes (2-15).

In reply Gloucestershire wilted in the heat, collapsing from 27-2 to 39 all out. Only Dibble (19) and Fleck (7 not out) offered any resistance as the visitors fell to their third defeat of the league season.

Gloucestershire are currently second in their group but have played more gamers than their rivals. Their next game is away to Devon on Monday 10th July.

Gloucestershire Under 13 Boys v Devon Under 13 Boys (at Winterbourne CC)
Friendly
Gloucestershire 190-7 (40 overs)
Devon 87 all out (33.2 overs)
Gloucestershire won by 103 runs

Gloucestershire under-13s put together an excellent all round display to beat Devon convincingly by 103 runs.

Having elected to bat first, the innings started well with opener Nick Schubach (34) (Dumbleton) and Will Hope (28) (Great Rissington) setting an excellent foundation.

Stan Brown held the innings together through the middle with a patient 50, which allowed Sami Hamid (35) (Winterbourne) to play with freedom. Late wickets halted the scoring slightly, but 190-7 represented a brilliant effort with some exceptional stroke play on show.

In the field, Hamid (2-9) picked up two early wickets to put Devon on the back foot, and Charlie Brennan (Stoke Bishop), who bowled five overs for five runs, made it difficult for the visitors to score.

Joe Moss (2-12) (Frenchay) maintained pressure through the middle, and some good ground fielding accounted for two run-outs. Devon were eventually dismissed for 87 to complete a second win of the season for the under-13s.

Gloucestershire Under 11s

Gloucestershire under-11 boys maintained their 100 per cent record with three wins in the space of 14 days.

The run started with a convincing 218-run win away to Gwent. A superb 98 not out by Freddie Sharp (Dumbleton), 77 from Ottie Landale (Cirencester) and a blistering 40 from Luke Hope (Great Rissington) helped Gloucestershire to a huge 271-3 from their 40 overs.

In reply Gwent never really got going thanks to a great opening spell from Freddie Collinson (1-13) (Gloucester City Winget) and Ethan Corbett (1-12) (Dumbleton) who created pressure taking an early wicket apiece.

There were also four run outs in the opening 10 overs as Gwent were put on the back foot by some sharp fielding. Spinner Lysander Tarrant (2-5) (Bourton Vale) then took two wickets as Gwent were bowled out for 53.

The under-11s continued their winning habit against Wales at Frocester. Batting first again Gloucestershire reached 216 before being bowled out in the 44th over.

Five players scored more than 20 with Sharp top-scoring with 47.

In reply, Gloucestershire’s bowlers bowled tight lines and lengths from the start to restrict the away side’s scoring opportunities. Billy Benson was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-8 from five overs.

With the batsman unable to pick the gaps and rotate the strike, pressure continued to build and Wales ended 98 runs short on 118-7 from their 45 overs.

The final victory came away at local rivals Somerset. Having been asked to bowl first, Corbett bowled with pace and accuracy to pick up 3-9. Spin was introduced and skipper Max Dunne (Frocester) stole the show, taking 5-16 from eight overs to bowl the home side out for 87.

Chasing a small but testing total on a turning wicket Gus Roberts (17) (Aston Ingham) and James Austen (26 not out) (Frocester) set the team on their way, playing some excellent strokes and rotating the strike well.

Roberts was undone by a good yorker, but his replacement Woody Walker (Cirencester) played aggressively against both spin and seam to score 32 not out and complete a comprehensive nine-wicket win.