An all-round team display provided a comfortable five-wicket victory inside 35 overs for Cleeve CC this weekend as they completed the season double over Downend 2s.

It was an earlier start than usual to accommodate the England Euros game that evening as stand in Cleeve skipper Tom Carpenter asked Downend to bat first.

Cleeve opening bowling pair of Andy Barnsley, 1-18 from nine overs, and Jack Spiers, 2-23 from eight, delivered with their usual control and Barnsley was the first to strike, bowling McEwan for no score at the start of the 2nd over at 4-1.

The first ball back this season for Glenn Lewin, 1-17 from four, brought a catch and bowled wicket at the start of the 12th over with Downend at 23-2.

Right arm spin from Jalal Ahmed, 2-28 from nine, then secured a brace as Orell was removed, caught and bowled, and Hamdi Saleem dismissed LBW at 118-4.

Cam Elswood was unsuccessful, six overs for 31, as Ben Pinkney, 1-12 from two, removed the stubborn Madhi Saleen for a top score of 39 at the end of the 33rd over.

The returning Spiers nabbed two more scalps with Downend at 136-7, leaving Nat Pinkney to clean up the tail, castling Litson and White before adding Duggan via LBW to end 3-13 from 4.4 overs and Downend all out for 154 after 43 overs.

Needing less than 3.5 runs an over, Cleeve were confident of the chase, just needing to remain in their innings for enough time.

Cleeve opener Mitch Want was caught for seven, with James Ball following just after with 10 runs to his name at 29-2.

Early nerves were then settled as Pinkney and Lewin dug in to produce a 38-run partnership until Lewin was next to depart bowled for 10 at 67-3.

23 run later, Pinkney’s stay came to an end as he holed out for 35 runs, leaving left hander Birt, 34, and Barnsley, 27, to steer Cleeve home with an unbroken 65 run partnership as they ran out five-wicket winners in the 34th over.

The win moves Cleeve to 5th in the Senior Division as they go on to a Quarter Final Cup game away to Bristol West Indian Phoenix 2nds on July 10th and then away to Bristol Pakistanis in the league July 13th.