In typical blustery and showery May weather, Slimbridge returned to winning ways against Tormarton on Saturday.

Having posted decent totals batting first so far this season, Slimbridge skipper Nigel Evans elected to bat having won the toss but things did not go to plan early on.

Tormarton opening bowlers, Sunny Bose (12-45-3) and A Bell (12-37-4), utilised the conditions and the surface to devastating effect, reducing Slimbridge to 71-7 before 20 overs had been bowled.

Jamie Cullimore (44) then attacked the Tormarton bowlers and in a stand of 69 with the increasingly consistent Nigel Evans (26), he dragged his side out of the mire, helping them bat to the 40th over.

Bouyed by this turnaround in fortune, Slimbridge bowlers Rob Gummer (11-34-2) and Phil Chalkley (12-32-2) looked to assert early dominance over the Tormarton batsmen.

Chalkley managed this with his first six overs, only going for one run, and the pair did well to limit Tormarton.

A stunning catch by Nigel Evans off the bowling of Chalkley and a run out limited Tormarton to 11-2 but a solid partnership of 67 from the flamboyant Merchant (45) and opener John Roe (27) tipped the scales in favour of the visitors.

Evans removed Merchant and was assisted by some fine, accurate bowling from Theo Rummer-Downing which saw the Tormarton batsmen fall further behind the rate.

Wickets started to fall at regular intervals and Tormarton were bowled out for only 113.

Evans bowled five overs, taking three wickets for 21 runs and Rummer-Downing returned to form, taking 2-14 from his nine overs.

Slimbridge travel to Whitminster next Saturday and with added depth in their squad look to further their push for a top of the table finish.