NEWENT produced a stunning run chase at Three Ashes as Jack Cowles struck an unbeaten 140 to guide the first XI to a five wicket victory over Cheltenham thirds.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat in Saturday’s Gloucestershire Cricket League Division Three clash, posting an imposing 288 for eight from their 40 overs.

Newent made an encouraging start with the ball as Ben Allard removed Cheltenham captain Andy Hawkins for six before Jack Cowles dismissed Mohammed Bokhari for 10.

Liam Devries then accounted for Pravar Timmaraju for 22, leaving Cheltenham 58 for three, but Mohammed Rahman and Rob Cooper rebuilt the innings with a substantial fourth wicket partnership.

Rahman hit 69 from 58 balls, including six fours and five sixes, while Cooper struck 65 from 60 deliveries with 11 boundaries.

Their stand took Cheltenham to 184 before Jack Griffiths removed Rahman, while Cooper followed with the score on 231 after becoming Allard’s second victim.

Kate Gaging added 34 and James Schofield finished unbeaten on 29 as the visitors pushed their total towards 300, with 41 extras also helping them reach 288 for eight.

Allard and Devries both finished with two wickets, while Nathaniel Gourlay also claimed two. Cowles and Griffiths took one apiece.

Faced with a demanding target of 289, Newent began positively through Cowles and Richard Howell.

Howell made 30 from 29 balls, striking seven fours, before he was caught off Danyal Shoukat with the score on 67.

Newent then suffered a wobble. Josh Ralph fell for five before captain Neil Roche was dismissed for four and Gourlay went for a duck, leaving the hosts 110 for four.

But Cowles remained at the crease and found the ideal partner in Ollie Corston.

The pair transformed the chase with a superb 146 run fifth wicket partnership, taking Newent from a potentially precarious position to within touching distance of victory.

Corston contributed an important 51 from 70 balls, with five fours and a six, before he was caught and bowled by Mohammed Bokhari at 256 for five.

Schofield was the pick of the Cheltenham attack, returning two for 31 from eight overs, while Shoukat, Atreya and Bokhari each claimed one wicket. Despite those breakthroughs, the visitors could not dislodge Cowles, who carried his bat through the chase and ensured Newent recovered from the loss of three wickets for just five runs during a difficult spell in the middle order.

Cowles, however, continued to dominate. His unbeaten 140 came from 110 deliveries and featured 13 fours and seven sixes in a match winning innings.

Liam Devries joined him for the closing stages and finished unbeaten on seven as Newent reached 292 for five from 39.1 overs, sealing victory with five balls to spare.

The result earned Newent 19 league points, including five batting points and four bowling points, while Cheltenham collected seven.

It was a memorable afternoon for Cowles, whose century proved decisive in a high scoring contest which produced 580 runs and went deep into the final over.