AN opening stand of 88 between Graham Emerson (35) and skipper Kamaal Mitha (44), and a third-wicket stand of 69 between Liam Hurcombe (46) and Cameron Lee (37), helped Gloucestershire 8A leaders Penallt & Redbrook to a nailbiting nine-run win at Alvington & Woolaston on Saturday.

The visitors reached 204-9 and then restricted the Foresters to 195-4, Graham Hyde with two wickets and Emerson and Vipin Sathy one apiece.

Second-placed neighbours St Briavels bounced back from a heavy defeat to their title rivals with a 10-wicket home win over Westbury-on-Severn 2nds, restricting their visitors to 122-8 before Tyrone Hoskins fired an unbeaten 84, including four sixes and 10 fours, and Will Peters 36 in a 126-run winning stand.

Penallt & Redbrook host Aston Ingham 3rds on Saturday (August 9) while St Briavels face Gloucester 3rds away.

Elsewhere, a 107-run opening-wicket stand between skipper Ollie Mann and Will Heath put Llanarth 1sts on their way to a five-wicket win at Hopkinstown, as the village side overhauled a 198 all out target from 37 overs.

Dan Moseley took four wickets and Harrison Griffiths three for the SEW 5 third-placed visitors, with Tom Heath, Dennis Heath and Morgan Boret taking one apiece.

Heath then scored 61 off just 39 balls, including two sixes and 11 fours, with Mann firing 60, including two sixes and 10 fours, backed by Boret with 28, as Llanarth reached 199-5 with 14 overs to spare.

The 2nds also won by 30 runs at home to Radyr 5ths, Dave Myatt cracking 94, Andrew Hilditch 42, Adam Gilchrist 28 and Anthony Norris 26 in their 238-8 40-over target.

Radyr were then 8-2, but recovered to post 208-6 thanks to stands of 87 and 81, Hilditch and Jamie George taking two wickets apiece.

Llanarth 1sts host Bridgend Town 2nds on Saturday, while their 2nds play Ponthir 3rds away.