LYDNEY Cricket Club's 1st XI secured a hard-fought 17-run victory over Chipping Campden in their Gloucestershire Cricket League Division 1 clash on Sunday afternoon at The Bob Park Cricket Ground.

Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Lydney set a challenging total of 211/8 from their 45 overs.

Opening batsman Alex Nelmes led the charge, top-scoring with 82 runs from 126 balls.

His innings featured 13 boundaries, but his wicket fell in the 40th over, leaving Lydney with a solid platform.

Despite these early efforts, Lydney’s middle order faced difficulties in building partnerships. Jack O'Connell added a quick-fire 16, but the team lost wickets at regular intervals.

However, a quick cameo from Tom Hayward, who finished unbeaten on 23* from just 11 balls, helped Lydney reach a competitive total in the final overs.

Chipping Campden’s chase began with a steady start, as Sam Nicholls anchored the innings with 31 runs off 83 balls. He found support in Matt Mitchell, who made 8 runs, but it was Jack Groves’ resilient knock of 59* that kept the visitors in contention.

With boundaries hard to come by, Groves remained the key figure for Chipping Campden, but they struggled to gain momentum due to Lydney's tight bowling and disciplined fielding.

Lydney's bowlers, led by Jack Knox, Jordan Stone and Ross Howells, kept a tight grip on the game.

Wickets fell steadily for Chipping Campden, and they could not close the gap.

Chipping Campden ended their innings on 194/7, 17 runs behind Lydney’s total.

Overall, it was a strong team performance from Lydney, with Nelmes’ valuable knock at the top of the order supported by some vital contributions with the ball.

Despite Chipping Campden’s spirited chase, Lydney’s ability to strike at key moments ensured they maintained control of the game throughout.