Ryan Bignall took a hat-trick and almost claimed another in a phenomenal bowling performance for Woodmancote.

The medium-pacer finished with 5-13 from his eight overs as Stroud 2nds were dismissed for 78, a total Woodmancote overhauled inside 15 overs to wrap up a nine-wicket win in Division Four of the Gloucestershire County League.

Bignall was skipper Mike Morris’s first-change bowler and he made an immediate impact, taking wickets with his second, third and fourth deliveries.

He caught and bowled Chris Dutton and then had Tom Richings and Ryan Boucher lbw to leave Stroud 34-4.

A few overs later he was at it again as he dismissed Matt Richings and Chris Dickinson with successive deliveries before being denied a second hat-trick in the game.

“That would have been unbelievable,” said Woodmancote team manager Paul Goring. “If he’d have taken two hat-tricks in the same game people would have been talking about him forever, he’d have been immortal!”

As it is, it’s still a stunning performance by someone who came through the club’s junior system before establishing himself as a first-team regular.

“He’s homegrown, he’s one of our own,” continued Goring. “He’s a popular lad, he runs our midweek T20 team, he’s the heart and soul of the club, everybody was pleased for him.”

Bignall, described by Morris as a “selfless cricketer”, is one of half-a-dozen or so Woodmancote players to have taken a hat-trick – Goring took four wickets in four balls back in the day – and Goring added: “He’s been bowling well all season, he’s got a lot of ability. He’s up there with the leading wicket-takers in the league.

“He’s a thinking seam bowler, the hat-trick is good reward for him.”

The win maintained Woodmancote’s position in third place in the 10-strong division behind Bourton Vale 2nds and Quedgeley & Hardwicke.

They are both six points ahead of Woodmancote and Goring said: “It’s very competitive, all three teams keep on winning.”

And Woodmancote’s 2nds and 3rds are enjoying good seasons too with the 2nds top of Division 1 East of the Cheltenham/Gloucester/Forest of Dean League and the 3rds third in Division 2 East of the Cheltenham/Gloucester/Forest of Dean League.