Another scorching Saturday, saw Methodists welcome Bohemians 2nds to a parched Norton Hill, and the home side taking the field first.

Bohemians’ openers Rich Davies and Mike Joy made a solid start with 42 runs, from the first fifteen overs, before Davies was eventually dismissed by the accurate Daniel Shearn, (1-13).

The visitor’s keeper, was then the mainstay of three more partnerships, as they steadily built a score through the middle overs but, having reached 124 for 5, Joy (60) was finally undone by James Green’s lack of pace. Skipper Alex Nash (3-40), - playing through the pain with a broken finger - then got amongst the wickets as he and Green, (3-37) made sure a steady parade of batsmen, were returned to the pavillion. Ehsan Oarith, (19*) and Koteswara Kolluri, scampered some quick runs towards the end, to boost the total somewhat, but 171-9 at tea, meant that the hot and bothered Methodists players were still in the game.

After some time in the shade, the home side’s David Baker, and Martin Woolley, made a steady start to their batting innings.

Twenty-five runs were added, until Devang Dwivedi, (2-28) broke through for the visitors. Another 60 for the next two wickets kept the scoreboard ticking nicely, with Baker (46) in fine form and finding the boundaries regularly. He was then dismissed by the pacy bowling of Sachin Devarajappa, (2-17) whose quick brace of wickets saw the Methodists reeling at 95-5 at the innings’ halfway stage, and in need of a solid partnership.

Fortunately, the battling Nash (42), and the determined Simon Howlett (38*), were on hand to knock off the bulk of the remaining runs - their crucial stand of 72 taking them to within sight of victory.

A Howlett boundary, then gave the home team a valuable win, by three wickets, at the end of a long, hot afternoon.