Following Division Two Cleeve’s back-to-back league wins, they beat Senior Division strugglers Shirehampton away by 30 runs in the Tony Hitch KO Cup last night.

Stand-in captain for the night James Cole won the toss and chose to bat, but openers Mitch Want (8) and Sam Williams (2) were soon back in the hutch bowled and caught.

Brothers Ben and Dan Jones combined well before being dismissed bowled for 15 and 33 respectively, with James Ball stumped for six and stand-in wicketkeeper Tom Birt caught for nine.

Cole was caught for 32 leaving Will Grubb and Ben Miller as the unbeaten batsmen on 14 and 0 respectively.

Thanks to some wayward bowling, 24 extras were added to see Cleeve close on 143-7.

In reply, Shire were never threatening with tight five-over spells by the four Cleeve bowlers used – Miller (0-18), Ben Pinkney (1-26), Cole (1-28) and Connor Hance the pick (2-27).

Together with a Cole run out, Shire reached 113 at the close, 30 runs short, leaving Cleeve the victors and with a quarter-final away to Bristol Pakistanis to look forward to.

It's back to league action on Saturday when Backwell Flax Bourton visit Cleeve.