LYDNEY chalked up their first win of the season in a game that was dictated by both sets of bowlers.

Cirencester came to the Bob Park Cricket Ground on Saturday (May 18) also looking to open their account in Gloucestershire County League Division One.

The visitors won the toss and elected bat but quickly lost opener Jasper Cleaver leg before to Jack O’Connell with the score on 24.

They then lost Cleaver’s replacement, Benjamin Langridge, who was caught by Ellis Boughton off the bowling of Callum Miller to make it 30-2.

Opener Adam Clatworthy and skipper Raife Hackett then brought some much-needed stability, adding 35 for the third wicket before Clatworthy was run out by Tom Hayward with the score on 55.

Wicketkeeper Clatworthy, who was Cirencester’s top scorer with 31, was the first of his side’s players to be run out.

The next three wickets all went to catches as the visitors looked to get the scoreboard moving.

Harry Brownless was caught by Ed Jones off the bowling of Boughton for 11, including two fours, to make it 81-4.

Hackett went shortly after, falling to a catch by Darius Govender off the bowling of Jack Knox for 23 to make it 83-5.

Alex Tuck went for 10 after being invited to hit the ball high by Ellis Boughton. Tom Legge was under the catch and Cirencester were 97-6.

They had barely crossed the three-figure threshold when Ed Jones was on target to run out Louis Sabbagh-Holt. Cirencester were 102-7.

The eighth wicket fell with only three added to the total when James Bassett was caught by Darius Govender after facing just one delivery from Jack Knox.

Declan Rugg and William Bassett added another 23 runs before Rugg, who the only other Cirencester player to make a sizeable contribution with 28, was caught by Ross Lindsay off the bowling of Callum Miller for 128-9.

Bassett was run out by Ross Lindsay as the innings closed on 131 with five overs still to be bowled.

Tom Legge and Lydney’s overseas signing for this year, Darius Govender opened the batting for the home side requiring less than three an over to win.

Cirencester made an early breakthrough when South African Govender went for five, bowled by William Bassett, with the score on 11.

Legge and Ross Lindsay scored 29 for the second wicket with Lindsay going to a catch by Adam Clatworthy off Jasper Cleaver.

He had scored 12 off 14 balls, including a couple of boundaries, as the scored moved onto 40-2.

The visitors sensed they might pull off an unlikely victory as 40-2 for became 44-4 as first Legge and then Jack Knox were sent on their way.

Legge was bowled for 16, including two fours, by Cleaver to make it 44-3 and then Jack Knox was caught by Alex Tuck without scoring to make it 44-4.

Cirencester became noticeably more animated when Jack Batcock was caught by Hackett for seven to make it 53-5.

Wicketkeeper Dafydd Nicholas came in for Legge and he formed a winning partnership with Ed Jones following the dismissal of Batcock.

Nicholas ended the day on 35 with six four and Jones on 38 with four boundaries as Lydney claimed a five-wicket win.

In the reverse fixture, Lydney second string posted a two wicket win at Cirencester with three wickets each for Jamie Blake and Rich Turner.

Dave Kear claimed two and there was one each for Ferdy Maguire and Andrew Kear as the hosts were restricted to 98 all out.

Lydney won with nearly 10 overs in hands with Dan Edmunds top scorer on 32.