Kilmersdon 216-8 Westerleigh 215-5
Kilmersdon produced a remarkable recovery with the bat, to claim victory for a second successive match, this time against currently winless Westerleigh.
The visitors were invited to bat first in warm sunshine, and opening pair, Baton and Gosling, made steady progress against the new ball.
Two quick wickets from Darren Davis, the second, a fine catch by Ben Curtis, brought Westerleigh captain, Elliott Lomas, to the wicket and he and Banton both brought up their half centuries, before Banton was bowled by Steve Jackson for 51. Lomas pressed on and passed three figures in the final over, and there was a wicket apiece for Alex Gardiner and Ashley Davis, as Westerleigh closed on 215-5.
The Kilmersdon run chase was soon in trouble, as Simon Skidmore (4-18) and Ash Joseph (1-25) ran through the top order, and when Gosling removed Keinan Cooper and Liam Smith, in his second over, the home side were in serious trouble, at 67/7.
Jackson, however, remained defiant and soon moved to his fifty, before another wicket brought Darren Davis to the wicket, with 96 still needed and just two wickets remaining. In a tense finale, the two long-serving players saw the home side to victory, with Jackson finishing 122* and Davis 40*, as Kilmersdon got over the line with 16 balls to spare.
The club would like to thank match sponsors, Drew’s Garage (Bath) Ltd and ball sponsors, Melksham Motor Spares for their support of this game. This week, Kilmersdon are on the road to face Keynsham CC’s 2nd XI (Sunday, 1.30 p.m.).
Ashley Davis