Cheltenham, Gloucester and Forest League Division Two West

Alvington and Woolaston 155 all out (38.4 overs)

Woodpeckers II 150-8 (40 overs)

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ALVINGTON and Woolaston just held on for a nail-biting five-run win against Gloucester visitors Woodpeckers.

The home side lost the toss and were put into bat and got off to a poor start with their top three batsmen contributing just 20 to the total.

Terry Nixon went leg before for seven while Roger Wakefield and Gavin Thurston were bowled for nine and four respectively.

Fourth man Kieran Fosh contributed the hosts’ highest score before he was caught on 25, losing Nick Powell caught for seven before a mid- order recovery with Josh Hayes, Nathan Meredith and Mark Meakin moving the total on by 49.

Hayes was bowled for 19 while Meredith and Meakin each scored 15, with the former eventually bowled and Meakin undefeated when the innings closed.

Inaccurate bowling by Woodpeckers proved decisive with the visitors gifting 41 extras – 34 wides and seven no balls.

Set a target of 156, the visitors got off to a strong start with opener Matt Watts reaching 53 before he was caught by Gavin Thurston off the bowling of Nick Powell.

Thurston also clai-med the other opening wicket, bowling Andrew Gillett for one.

Powell had the best haul of the Alvington bowlers, claiming three wickets for 30 runs off eight overs.

As well as the wicket of opener Watts, he also bowled Woodpeckers’ second high-est scorer, Mike Dallman for 23 and had another caught by Thurston.

Thurston and Tyrone Skidmore took two each, with the former taking a catch off his own bowling.

Skidmore took one wicket with the ball and claimed another victim stumped by Roger Wakefield.

Conceding just 19 extras, they held on as Woodpeckers finished on 150-8.