Matty Williams’ young T20 side made it three wins from three (plus the one wash out) last night as they won the top of the table clash away against Coopers Edge by 21 runs.

Played at Upton St Leonards it was the home side who won the toss and asked Apperley to bat. Jeremy Yearsley and Isaac Bate-Williams opened up.

Fresh from his session on the bowling machine earlier in the day, Bate-Williams hit a humongous six that cleared the road on his way to 20 from 18 balls.

One of the side’s veterans, Ed Burrows top scored with a maverick 40 from 29 balls including Apperley’s other two sixes as well as three fours.

Srini Kamath had played for Gloucestershire Over 50s 3rd XI the day before and in both games continued his fine form as his 67 for the county was followed up by 25 from 30 for Apperley.

It was then left to Andy O’Connor (9* from 5) and Harry Allday (16* from 14) to complete the innings as Apperley posted 132-7 in their 20 overs. Our innings was polished off in true T20 style as Allday got down and played a ramp shot late on.

The two not out batsmen opened up the bowling for Apperley. First Allday and then O’Connor took early wickets, Coopers Edge reduced to 6-2 after the first two overs. The third wicket fell to Allday in the 7th over as he returned figures of 2-18 from his four overs.

Hamish Mackenzie had been spotted playing football in the field but it was him who took Apperley’s fourth wicket.

With a pink ball used throughout the game it was in the second half of the innings that Apperley’s man of the match came on. Lucas Tibbles bowled really well, dismissing batsman after batsman with none of them able to get him away. His figures were four overs, one maiden, four wickets for just five runs!

His success even afforded the skipper license to bring Sam Fitzmaurice on to bowl spin, although in his desperate search to find some way to move a ball he still couldn’t get any kind of lateral movement in his two overs.

Cooper’s Edge finished on 111-9, 21 runs short of Apperley’s total as we put some clear daylight between ourselves and the chasing pack at the top of the Gloucester T20 Evening League Division Two.

Next week we’re home to Tewkesbury on Wednesday 8th June, 6pm start, as we look to continue our 100% record.