METHODISTS gained a four-wicket victory at home to Saltford Fairway in a well-matched mid-table clash.

The visitors opted to bat first, but decent bowling kept their early scoring under control - the impressive Paul Evans and stalwart Daniel Shearn keeping Saltford to 56-2 from 16 overs. Ed Davies (37) and Rob Bailey (20) had comfortably added 47 for the third wicket when a Craig Eyles hat-trick stunned the opposition.

Bailey having already gone, Davies then received a beauty from Ish Fairoz as they suddenly slumped from 77-2 to 79-6 inside two overs. A crucial stand of 41 between Shinwari Musharaf (22*) and Haseebullah Oryakhil (23) then dug the visitors out of their hole, until Faisal Mushtaq removed the latter with a peach of a first ball. Some lusty blows and quick running from the lower-order then managed to get Saltford to a competitive 155, losing their last wicket in the 40th over.

The Methodists' reply got off to a shaky start as Aiden Taynton took a wicket with the first ball, before another fell to away skipper Dave Holmes in the second over. However some attacking strokes from Richard Brand soon put Holmes under the hammer, the score racing to 53 by the time Brand (35) was unfortunately run out in the tenth.

James Green and Ish Fairoz kept the momentum going, adding 27 runs before skipper Green (22) fell to the accurate Musharaf, bringing Faisal to the crease. Another 26 had been knocked off the target when Dave Davies (2-44) trapped him LBW, but Meths' agile 'keeper Stuart Green was then able to support Ish (62*) as he guided the home side to a much-celebrated four-wicket victory, after a great team effort. Methodists 159-6, Saltford Fairway 155 all out

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