Bristol and District League Senior Division leaders Frenchay maintained their hundred percent record after a 70 run home victory against Timsbury.
The visitors had their chances to impose themselves on the match, but after reducing Frenchay to 91–4 with the dangerous Mike Donaldson gone, their out cricket lost its intensity and the home side amassed a total that proved out of their reach.
After being asked to bat first, Frenchay came out of the blocks quickly and with the in-form Donaldson in full flow, reached 89–1 before the loss of three quick wickets, including Donaldson’s for 59 to a fine catch by Graeme Webb, to put Timsbury right back in the match. It was the home side, however, who took the initiative and a 119 run partnership between Matt Taylor (78) and Tom Bibby reasserted Frenchay’s control. Some tidy bowling from Gary Pearcy and Mark Sage at the death restricted the home side to some extent, but a total of 255–7 was still a formidable target.
Timsbury’s hopes again rested very much on the shoulders of Sage, who has made an excellent start to the campaign. His third wicket stand of 72 with Webb raised the visitors’ hopes before Webb was lbw for 29. The two heroes of the previous week, Pearcy and Jesse Bishop, fell in quick succession without troubling the scorers and suddenly Timsbury were 92–5. Sage continued on his way with solid support from Greg Passingham, but when he was caught on the boundary for 61, 255 looked a long way off. Passingham (28) and Sam Hoddinott (22) made solid contributions, but at the close the visitors were well short.
Malcolm Tucker