Gloucestershire Under 11 Boys v Worcestershire Under 11 Boys (at Feckenham CC)

Friendly

Worcestershire 160-9 (40 overs)

Gloucestershire 162-3 (28.2 overs)

Gloucestershire won by 7 wickets

Gloucestershire joint-captain Henry Trotman (Winterbourne) led by example with a fine all-round performance to help his under 11 side to a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Worcestershire.

He picked up 4-17 from his eight overs before setting the foundations for a successful run chase with a score of 39 as Gloucestershire reached their 161 target with 11.4 overs to spare.

Playing on a shorter, ECB-advised 18-yard pitch, the visitors lost the toss but started well as Trotman and Spencer Gammon (1-19) (Whitchurch) reduced the hosts to 7-1 after six overs – Gammon making the breakthrough.

The opening pair were backed up by some outstanding fielding in the gully from Zaman Shafi (Bristol YMCA) who saved a number of boundaries with athletic full-length dives.

A bowling change brought a second wicket as Bristol’s William Clayton-Jones (1-8) removed opener Ryan Chalal (18) to make it 27-2.

Worcester progressed to 53-2 before Euan MacKellar became the third batsman to be clean bowled – this time courtesy of Eoin Godfrey (1-12) (Lansdown) who bowled with good pace.

Gloucestershire then turned to spin and both Ben Long (Rockhampton) and Shafi picked up a wicket each. But the home side rebuilt and with 10 overs to go looked like they could be on for a score close to 200. In response the visitors brought back on their opening bowlers and it was Trotman who struck, bowling Harry Davenport for 18.

Joseph Harrison remained a thorn in Gloucestershire’s side playing some excellent extra cover drives on his way to a score of 49. However Trotman was now building up a head of steam and he struck twice more to make it three wickets in four balls – including that of Harrison. His burst put the brakes on the Worcestershire innings as they finished on 160-9.

After the break, Gloucestershire began cautiously before Trotman took a liking to the pace of Amman Edavaleth and smashed 16 from the fourth over of the innings. Joint-captain Henry Snow (8) (Dumbleton) looked composed at the other end and the partnership was progressing well until both players fell in consecutive overs as Gloucestershire went from 53-0 to 53-2.

This brought YMCA Batters Jamie Brooks (15) and Shafi to the crease. Both looking solid until Brooks got a lifter from a good length delivery that ended in square leg’s hands to make it 89-3.

The Worcestershire spinners found sharp turn but Oliver Bell (Keynsham) and Shafi defended well when needed and put away the bad ball. Both batsmen played with maturity beyond their years and began to find the boundary with increasing regularity. Gloucestershire reached their target in the 29th over with Shafi finishing on 47 not out and Bell unbeaten on 23.

Gloucestershire Under 12 Boys v Dorset Under 12 Boys (at Tockington Manor School)

Friendly

Gloucestershire 196-9 (40 overs)

Dorset 165-9 (40 overs)

Gloucestershire won by 31 runs

Gloucestershire’s under 12 boys continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 31-run win over Dorset.

Debutant William Merrett (Lechlade) made a promising start to his county career making an unbeaten 21 and taking 2-44 as his side posted 196-6 before bowling the visitors out for 165.

Gloucestershire won the toss and elected to bat first in hot conditions. They made a steady start before the Dorset opening attack made steady inroads and reduced them to 50-4.

Morgan Barnes steadied the ship hitting a solid 41 before contributions from Max Dunne 24 (Frocester), Lysander Tarrant 19 not out (Bourton Vale) and Merrett helped them post a challenging 196-9 from their 40 overs.

In reply, the Dorset innings followed a similar pattern as they slipped to 30-3 to put Gloucestershire in control. However the middle order responded well with Rook (43) and Martin (29) playing well. But when Rook was run out – the first of three in the innings – their run chase faltered.

Merrett and Charlie Wenham (2-22) (Bishopston) took two wickets apiece as Dorset fell behind the required rate, finishing on 165-9.

Gloucestershire Under 10 Boys v Devon Under 10 Boys (at Oldlands CC)

Friendly

Gloucestershire 221-9 (40 overs)

Devon 80 all out (31.5 overs)

Gloucestershire won by 141 runs

Arthur Trotman (Winterbourne) top-scored with 71 as Gloucestershire’s under 10s recorded a dominant 141-run victory over Devon.

The opener helped his team amass 221-9 from their 40 overs before a good all-round effort in the field saw the home side dismissed for just 80.

Gloucestershire lost the toss but made Devon toil from the start as Trotman and Wilf Newton (Bristol YMCA) put on 45 for the first wicket. The breakthrough did little to disrupt the visitors as Joe Tutty (30) (Hatherley and Reddings) came in to join Trotman and together they put on 81 before the latter fell for an excellent 71.

Gloucestershire began to lose wickets at regular intervals but their early dominance and 32 from number five James Burton (Hatherley and Reddings) ensured they finished on a commanding 221-9 from their 40 overs.

In reply Devon got off to a bad start as Harry Bryan (2-13) (Bedminster) struck early on to make it 3-1. And the home side never recovered as all eight Gloucestershire bowlers kept the pressure on. Burton (2-11) cemented a good all-round performance and Tutty also backed up his batting with two run outs as Devon were bowled out for 80 in the 32nd over

Gloucestershire Under 15 Girls v Devon Under 15 Girls (at Heathcoat CC)

ECB U15 Women’s County Championship Division A Group 4

Devon 218-1 (40 overs)

Gloucestershire 198-5 (40 overs)

Devon won by 20 runs

Gloucestershire’s under 15 girls nearly pulled off an unlikely victory over Devon after a spirited display at Heathcoat CC.

Batting first Devon compiled a daunting total of 218-1 from their 40 overs.

But the Gloucestershire girls fought hard and fell just 20 runs short after an impressive 46 from 39 balls by Bea Ellis (Charlton Kings) took the game down to the few final overs. She shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 73 with Sarah Walsh (26) (Frenchay) as the visitors finished on 198-5.

Earlier, opener Emma Corney made a match-winning 142 from 127 balls as she took the attack to the Gloucestershire bowlers.

She received good support from Georgia Read (retd 39) and Olivia Churcher (20 not out) before finally falling to seamer Lily Knox (Frenchay) who recorded excellent figures of 8 overs 4 maidens 1-22.

In reply Gloucestershire made a solid start reaching 79 before losing their first wicket – Isobel Carey (Frenchay) falling to Jemma Ansley for 41 from 58 balls.

Fellow opener Chloe Tingle (Ross) continued to dig in, adding 33 with Walsh before being caught and bowled by Charlotte Massey to make it 112-2.

Zoe Dibble (Corse and Staunton) was run out for six, before Ellis came in and put her side back in contention with a fearless display. Despite her best efforts the required rate remained outside Gloucestershire’s grasp as they finished on 198-5.