IT was a great weekend for Frocester, where two thrilling games at Pounds Close saw them progress to the third round of the National Club KO and maintain their challenge at the top of the WEPL Premier One table.

On Saturday, Bristol were the visitors to Pounds Close, Frocester winning by seven runs in a very tense finish.

Nick Trainor decided to bat but former Gloucestershire bowler Will Rudge produced a fine opening spell.

At 24-3, Frocester were in big trouble, but Mark Hardinges, fresh from the news of his Twenty20 contract with Essex, was in fine form and a 76-run partnership with Ashley Davis, repaired the situation.

Hardinges had hit ten boundaries in reaching his half century off only 63 balls.

However, Davis fell for 31, Hardinges soon followed, and with Jamie Shackleton scoring only a single, Frocester slumped to 117-6.

Richard Evans (29) put on 25 with Cavan Ditchman (11) before Frocester slumped from 151-7 to 161 all out.

Tavare was caught at slip by Trainor off the bowling of Hardinges, who quickly trapped Brown leg before.

Shackleton dismissed Hopkinson in similar fashion as the visitors struggled to 41-3 in 18 overs.

David Brown (37) and Pat Fallis (26) took the total to 93, but Richie Cave dismissed both batsmen in a fine spell.

Shackleton captured two wickets as Bristol slumped to 119-8.

Shazil Mustafa and Mike Wilmott lifted the total to 152 but Ben Gannon returned and crucially bowled Wilmott for 18 and Ditchman had Pollard caught by Shackleton.

On Sunday, Frocester chased down 221 to win by five wickets against Knowle.

Batsman Jayden Levett was in fine form but the other Knowle batsmen were powerless against Jamie Shackleton, who ripped through the top order in a fantastic spell of 3-22 from his nine over spell.

But Levett punished the remainder of the Frocester attack with 106 and it was only Trainor with a fine spell of 3-34 from eight overs, who prevented Knowle from finishing with more.

After Wand fell for seven, Trainor (77) and Ashley Davis were in commanding form with a brilliant partnership of 142.

Davis took Frocester within sight of victory, when he was bowled by former team-mate Courtney Ricketts for a very fine 87, with the total on 204-4.

Shackleton (14) and Ben Gannon (7) guided them home with eight balls to spare.