Hanham 199–8 Timsbury 191–9
Timsbury’s hopes of a fourth consecutive win in the Bristol and District League Senior Division were dashed by bottom club, Hanham, who beat their hosts by eight runs. In a match restricted to 44 overs, Timsbury looked to have the game under control when the visitors batted first, but a late flurry of boundaries saw Hanham hit 52 off the last five overs and ultimately, 199 proved too much for the home side.
Ellis Hancock and Sam Hoddinott established early control with tidy opening bowling spells and the visitors had only reached 39–3 by the sixteenth over. Hoddinott bowled through to record the excellent figures of 2–28 from his twelve overs, but gradually Hanham fought back into the match with Harry Owens holding his side’s innings together with seventy. He received good support from Matt Gitsom (23) and George Stone (19), but the real impetus came from Brad Hardidge, who struck a rapid undefeated 39 in the last crucial overs. Hancock finished with 3–47, with Jon Strand taking 3–66.
Rain delayed the Timsbury innings, but when it got underway, Adam Brinkworth and Jack Scrivens made a confident start with 47 on the board before Scrivens was leg before wicket to Ross Robbins for 22. On paper, Timsbury had one of their strongest batting line-ups of the season, but Andrew Carter was caught at mid-off for two and the returning Mark Sage just a day after facing Lashings West Indian star, Tino Best, was run-out for three. Soon after, Brinkworth became another LBW victim for a fluent 43 and although Paul Cracknell batted well for a rapid 35, Timsbury failed to create the necessary partnerships thereafter. Skipper, Steve Clothier, struck an entertaining 23 not out late on, but by then, there was too much left to do.
On Saturday, Timsbury travel to Cleeve, who chased down Timsbury’s total of 358 earlier this season in a game that produced two double centuries and 717 runs.
Report by Malcolm Tucker