Fairford’s flagship cricket team got their season up and running on Saturday and they did it in very exciting style.

They overhauled Frampton-on-Severn’s 197-7 with just one wicket and four balls to spare to claim their first win of the campaign in Division Two of the Gloucestershire County League.

Last season’s Division Three champions – they went up alongside Frampton – had lost their opening four league games and club president Cliff Taylor said: “I’m overjoyed that they won, I hope it’s the first of many.”

The win was not enough to lift off them off the bottom of the 10-strong division but it will give them plenty of confidence, even they were pushed all the way by a Frampton side who have also won one league game in 2023.

An opening partnership of 95 between Craig Muir and Jay Goddard – Muir made his 59 from 62 balls – had put Fairford in a healthy position, but they slipped to 122-4 before a 54-run partnership between Colin Bullock and William Bowers steadied their nerves.

However, Frampton were not done yet. Skipper Daniel Huxstep got rid of them both – he finished with 3-22 – and in the end it was left to last-wicket pair Alex Haysler and Matt Dyson to edge Fairford home.

Earlier, Nathan Hudd had top-scored for Frampton with 59 – he also picked up three Fairford wickets – while Fairford captain Jon Welch was the most successful of his side’s bowlers with 3-11 from five overs.

On Saturday Fairford host Rockhampton 2nds, who are one place and three points ahead of them in the table, with Taylor, an ex-1^st XI player and 2^nd XI captain, hoping that they can start pushing up the league.

“You do notice a difference when you step up a level but the aim is to go as high as we can,” he said.

“We’re a thriving club, we have progressed a lot in the last few years.”

Frampton, meanwhile, travel to unbeaten leaders Thornbury 2nds on Saturday.