CINDERFORD were able to field probably their strongest side this season and the result was to inflict a first defeat this campaign on high flyers Cricklade.

The Foresters withstood a late charge to emerge victorious by just two runs.

It was a good afternoon for Dan Kibble who, batting at number seven, contributed 48 runs to Cinderford’s total of 222 and then took a wicket in the final over as the Cotswold side was stopped just short of the total.

Top scorer of the day was the returning Balasingam Sivathas who smashed 61 off 44 balls including 10 fours and a couple of sixes.

There was some confusion about the total that Cricklade needed when the Duckworth Lewis rules were brought into play.

Cinderford team manager Mark Roberts explained: “ When we were told Duckworth Lewis was coming, it was a 20 over game and they needed 146.

“We bowled two overs and the scoreboard started altering and one of their guys went on an app and it had gone down to 129.

“The reduced overs put pressure on us because we hadn’t had the best starts but we bowled tidier and took our catches.

“They couldn’t get any momentum going and they needed a six off the last ball.

Cinderford made an early breakthrough when Chris Jackson caught opener Chris Nicholas off the bowling of Roberts.

Just three runs had been added when Sivathas caught A on lex Kill leg before to make it 51-2.

Sivathas took the catch, off the bowling of Jackson, that dismissed opener Paul Pagington a couple shy of his half century for 121-3.

Emily Kibble took the catch which gave Jackson his second wicket and Cricklade were 122-4.

The final wicket to go was Tom Dykes, bowled in the final over by Dan Kibble to leave third-placed Cricklade with a final total of 126-3.

Cinderford had elected to bat but lost two early wickets with both Edward Ruck and Mark House going with the score on 15.

Opener Richard Bywater and Sivathas put on 84 for the third wicket before Sivathas was bowled.

Cinderford had lost six wickets when Dan Kibble came to the crease but he added 49 runs in another quick-fire innings.

His undefeated knock came off 43 balls and included five fours and a six.

Roberts was at the other end when the innings closed and he finished with 17 off 10 balls including two fours and a six.

He said: “We had Siva back and he makes a big difference with batting because he scores quickly.

“We batted well to get 222 and its the best I’ve seen Dan Kibble bat for a long time.

“It was a shame he just missed out on his 50.

“He put in a decent showing with the bat and then followed it up with the ball

“If he has the chance he will give it a whack and to be fair there were still quite a few a overs when he went out and I said if there’s a chance to hit it, hit it otherwise play properly and he played some really good shots.

“We needed that because are a bit behind.”

On Saturday (June 17), Cinderford entertain Dymock who also find themselves at the wrong end of the Division Three table.

They went down to a 106-run defeat at leaders Tetbury.

The defeat came despite 54 from skipper Andrew Bevan, 49 for Brendan Caffull and 39 from Danny Harmer.