What a month it's been for Bourton Vale CC, with all three Saturday XIs and the Vikings T20 side seeing action across a packed fixture schedule. Here's how things have shaped up.

1st XI – Climbing the Division

The 1st XI are sitting 1st in their division with 107 points from 6 games — five wins, one abandoned, and just one completed defeat — which is a brilliant start to the campaign.

May began with a tricky Bank Holiday double-header on 3 May that saw the side bowled out for 82 against Swindon and 64 against Stroud, but they bounced back emphatically. A 9-wicket demolition of Cheltenham CC 2nd XI on 2 May (revised target) set the tone early, and wins over Charlton Kings (by 5 wickets, chasing 255), Aston Ingham (by 24 runs), and most recently a commanding 332/6 against Gloucester CC — winning by 106 runs — show the team hitting their stride. The Chipping Campden game was abandoned, leaving a few points on the table, but the overall picture is very positive.

2nd XI – Solid Mid-Table

The 2nd XI sit 6th in their division on 68 points, with two wins, two losses, and a couple of games not fully completed. Wins over Kingsholm (by 30 runs, posting 231/7) and Frocester 3rd XI early in May were encouraging, though the loss to Kings Stanley — bowled out for 102 — and an abandonment against Cinderford kept the points tally modest. Plenty to build on.

3rd XI – Strong Form

The 3rd XI have been one of the club's standout teams in May, sitting 4th in their division on 47 points. Back-to-back wins over Cheltenham Civil Service (by 62 runs, posting 234/8) and Ullenwood Bharat (by 8 wickets, chasing 173 with 176/2) show real depth in the lower XIs. The defeat to Shurdington was the one blot — a Duckworth-Lewis revised target that proved just out of reach after posting 207/8.

Vikings (T20) – Mixed Bag

Three T20 outings in May produced two wins and a narrow defeat. The Vikings beat Tewkesbury Royals by 48 runs and Charlton Super Kings by 19 runs, but fell 11 runs short against Dumbleton Dynamite in a tight chase of 174. A cancelled game against Cheltenham Spartans added a point apiece. Decent form for a side still finding its T20 feet.

Players to Watch

With the bat, the 1st XI top order has been formidable. Dylan Driscoll leads the club's batting charts with 316 runs at an average of 45.14, including a century, and an eye-catching strike rate of 129 — he's been explosive at the top. Mark Whitney is right behind him with 311 runs and a high score of 118, while Andy Philips averages a superb 43.80 from just five innings with a top score of 121. Musa Twala has chipped in with 190 runs including an unbeaten 107*, and Oliver Whiteley has provided valuable consistency with 287 runs across 10 innings.

With the ball, Max Shepherd is the standout performer — 18 wickets at just 15.89 with an economy of 5.05, and he's been contributing with the bat too (137 runs). Danny Way has been nearly as busy with 16 wickets, while Dev Gunti has taken 11 wickets and chipped in 81 runs — a genuinely valuable all-round contributor. Gabriel Green's economy of 4.11 from 28 overs is particularly impressive, and Matthew Rose has been the most miserly bowler in the attack at just 3.59 an over.

All in all, May has been an excellent month for Bourton Vale. The 1st XI leading their division is the headline, but the strength shown across all three Saturday XIs and the T20 team suggests real depth at the club. June will be the test of whether they can maintain that momentum.