Looking to bounce back from a tough defeat at Cam last weekend the 1st XI welcomed back Ben from his two week absence while Joe missed out with illness in an otherwise full strength team.

On a warm and sunny (to start at least) afternoon Cheltenham's skipper called incorrectly and we gladly accepted first use of an excellent Redmarley track. Ronnie and Sam started carefully, scoring only 29 in the first 10 overs but importantly no wickets were lost and as Sam in particular began to find the boundary with greater regularity the pair passed 50 for the first wicket for the second straight home game in the 14th over. But, with the score on 56 an over later Ron was caught behind for 17. That brought last week's centurion, Charlie, to the crease and with a combination of Charlie's speed between and ability to manipulate and Sam's power and timing allowed them to score freely throughout their partnership.

Reaching 150 off the last ball of the 31st over we were set up to launch towards another large score and soon after Sam reached his first hundred of the season, and his second league hundred for the 1s, off 96 balls with 13 x 4s and 3 x 6s. Sam added one more boundary as he aimed to push on but was bowled by Niazi for 105 from 105 balls ending the 2nd wicket partnership at 121 at exactly a run a ball. With Sam departing at 177 and 10 overs remaining with 8 wickets in hand it felt like a minimum of 75-80 were going to be required to capitalize on the foundation.

Between Charlie (49), Craig (13), Ben (11*) and more than a couple of 5-wides - extras ending up 3rd top score with 42 - we got ourselves up beyond 250 and maximum batting points to end on 254/7 from our 45 overs. As Rads delivered an excellent tea we knew there was no room for complacency in defending that total on a good track and what has, after the first few weeks submerged by water, been a lightening fast outfield.

Aussie Sam shared the new ball with Rads and it was the latter who delivered the early wicket we wanted, removing the opener Drew for 0 in his first over. Cheltenham's second wicket pair of Cooper Lanes and Schofield got the visitors a platform from which to launch their chase but the skipper removed the latter for 12 before a good catch from Craig removed the threatening Cooper Lanes for 46 just before the thunderstorms threatening in the middle distance came a little closer and the players had to leave the field for rain with Cheltenham 104/3 off 25 - behind the DLS par but not so much so that we were comfortable.

Having waited half an hour for the rain and lightening to clear we were able to get back on the field but Cheltenham continued to accumulate at 4 or so an over in the face of some good bowling from the experienced combination of Greener and Newbs and while that meant the required rate started to rise they were within striking distance of the DLS par score, especially when visiting keeper Williams started to cut loose with some very clean hitting, reaching a threatening 50.

However, Craig still had 5 overs up his sleeve and given his recent form with the ball that was a trump card that the skipper could always call on and after a brief spell from Ben, nursing a groin injury, he was re-introduced and almost immediately removed the junior partner in the 4th wicket partnership, Bokhari, to a swipe brought about by the rising rate for 16. However, the big wicket was always going to be Williams as the required rate increased over 9 an over he would be the one to threaten that but Jack, living up to his billing as the Impact Player in the team, produced the big wicket bowling Williams for 67.

We could have been forgiven for relaxing at that point but we know to our cost that the game is never won and Craig and Jack continued to be relentless in their accuracy and targeting of the stumps and the final 5 wickets followed in reasonably quick succession with some safe catching in the outfield. Craig ending with 4/30 off 8.4 and Jack with 3/26 from 5 to give the ultimate final score - 182 all out and a 72 run victory - a slightly more comfortable feeling than we might have expected.

The team will look to build on this win in what is now a congested Division 2 table when they travel to Shurdington this week.