Weekly cricket round-up by Steve Hill 

SENIORS

FROCESTER’S John Evans is to captain a combined Gloucestershire Seniors side against a Gloucestershire Pathway Select XI in a challenge match at the Cheltenham Festival on Friday July 12.

‘Evo, as he is universally known, has been named skipper of the England squad which is preparing for the first ever Over 70s World Cup, set to take place in England next month.

And he will now also lead a Seniors side drawn from the county’s Over 50s, 60s and 70s for a unique game which will celebrate Gloucestershire cricket in its different forms.

Entry to the T20 game is free. It will start at 1pm, and will be followed by a series of master classes for those looking to gain more insight into the inner workings of a first class county.

Gloucestershire Over 70s, who are the national champions, moved up to third in their ECB Group with a comfortable seven-wicket win away to Devon who were restricted to 150-9 from their 45.

Dave Millard, meanwhile, cracked his second century of the summer for Gloucestershire Over 50s 2nds who chased down a target of 255 away to Devon with four overs to spare.

The hard-hitting right hander finished unbeaten on 121 (15 fours, three sixes) and shared an unbroken stand of 198 with Srini Kamath (73) after Sam Gunaratne had earlier bagged 3-29 from nine.

There was a disappointing setback for the Over 60s away to Wiltshire who emerged 65-run victors at Potterne.  But the 60s 3rds trumped Wales by two wickets away at Machen, Peter Storey taking 4-38 from eight and Mark Moodie unbeaten on 67 from only 32.

And the new 4th XI completed a 30-run triumph away to Sussex, Keith Daniels compiling an unbeaten 100 from 76 (17 fours) while Simon Mezsaros (74) and opener Luv Duggal (51) were also amongst the runs.

 

CUPS

PAINSWICK are the latest Gloucestershire club to book a place in the last 16 of the Voneus Village Cup after demolishing Wembdon by 10 wickets.

The Somerset side were rushed out for just 96 after losing the toss, Jack Hobbis (4-20), Jon Conolly (3-20) and Reece Morris (2-31) tearing through the innings.

And the visitors, clearly in a hurry to watch the big football match, then needed less than 13 overs to cruise to their target thanks to Morris (50) and Keegan Jansen Van Rensburg (46).

Painswick’s reward is a home date on Sunday against Wiltshire qualifiers Goatacre.

Aston Ingham, meanwhile, will be away to Loddington & Mawsley while Dumbleton, the 2022 champions, entertain Kibworth. All matches will start at 1pm.