A last-wicket partnership of 26 steered Churchdown to a nail-biting one-wicket win over Cricklade in Division Four of the Gloucestershire Cricket League.

Number 11 Mark Anthony joined Alfie Rogers with the score on 180 after the visitors, who won the toss, had lost four wickets for 24 runs.

But Rogers, batting at six, finished unbeaten on 42 as Churchdown got home with three balls to spare.

Anthony, a seam bowler, finished on six and team-mate Liam Dutson said: “Alfie was good; Mark is okay, he can hold a bat.”

Neither of them enjoyed the thrill of hitting the winning runs, however, with Dutson saying: “We won with four wides.”

Cricklade actually bowled 38 wides – they conceded 51 extras – and they are rooted to the bottom of the 10-strong division.

Dutson, who is also a medium-fast bowler, had earlier shared in a crucial sixth-wicket stand of 76 with Rogers, making 35 from 42 balls, including five fours and a six.

“If we hadn’t won I’d have been very disappointed,” said club captain and opening batsman Ivor Griffiths, who hit an unbeaten century in their opening-day eight-wicket win against Cranham.

“We let them get 30 or 40 runs more than they should have done, but I still expected us to chase the score down.

“We made a quick start but then I stupidly got out for 34 and we lost a few wickets."

Rogers and Dutson came together with the score on 80 and Griffiths, who has just become a dad for a second time, continued: “If we’d have lost the game I wouldn’t have slept very well on Saturday night!”

Earlier, Rogers (2-40) and Dutson (2-30) had helped restrict Cricklade to 202-9 in their 40 overs, while pace bowler Harry Clements claimed 3-28 from his eight overs.

Rogers, who is in his early 20s, is certainly making an impression this season.

“He’s an all-rounder, he’s been a revelation,” said Griffiths. “He’s a quick spinner, he doesn’t turn it too much but it’s all about his variations, he’s clever beyond his years.”

Rogers was playing for Radyr in Cardiff before joining Churchdown, and while he was obviously centre stage against Cricklade he wasn’t the only one with Griffiths adding: “Harry Clements is a very quick bowler at this level, he’s a real asset.”

The win was Churchdown’s third in four league games and they go into Saturday’s home game against seventh-placed Cinderford St John in fourth spot.

It will be the first time this season that Churchdown will play a league game at John Daniels playing field – their regular venue - after playing their previous two home games at Cranham and Haresfield.

“The outfield has been too hard because of the lack of rain,” explained 38-year-old Griffiths, who has been playing for the club since he was 10. “The square is fine but the outfield was so dry, we thought it was unsafe for fielders.”

The recent rain means the club are now happy to return home and they held their annual 6s tournament at John Daniels playing field on Sunday, a tournament that was won by Team Sri Lanka despite some remarkable hitting by Rogers who smashed an unbeaten 96 in one of the five-over games.