Once again, Midsomer Norton didn’t score enough runs batting first to put serious pressure on their opponents Taunton Deane, last Saturday. Defeat leaves Midsomer Norton stuck bang in the middle of the league table with two league fixtures left to play.
Winning the toss and choosing to bat, Norton got off to a good start with openers Alex Lear, 28, and Nick Cox, 64, posting a half-century partnership at the top of the innings, something of a rarity for Norton this season. Lear was first to go, with 87 on the board, but solid foundations had been established, only for skipper, Pang, and Sri Lankan, Gunathilaka, to be dismissed without troubling the scorers. Martin Cox soon followed and, at 105-4, Norton had lost four wickets for just 18 runs. Nick Cox was next to depart, run out, leaving the visitors on 128-5. Dan Nolan, 53, and Morgan Skipp, 14, provided some much-needed resistance, with the second half-century partnership of the innings, putting on 66, before Nolan’s departure. Nolan’s runs came at just about a run a ball. Norton lost a couple more wickets and batted out their overs, but a target of 207 was never likely to be enough to defeat the home side. The visitors’ total included 32 extras.
After tea, the home side’s progress was steady, rather than spectacular, but with Taunton Deane 74-3, Norton were still very much in the game. A partnership of 111, Harrison, 70, and Smith, 57 not out, dashed Norton’s hopes. Taunton Deane reached their target in the 45th over and leapfrogged Norton to go fourth in the table. Norton’s wicket takers were Andrew Cox, 2-39, Nick Pang, 2-49, and Hashan Gunathilaka, 1-30. This Saturday, Norton are away to league leaders Lansdown. The game starts at 12 noon.
At Withies Lane on Saturday, starting at 1.30 p.m., the Second XI take on Pakistan Express and the Third XI visit Bristol West Indian Phoenix CC.
Charlie Matthews