The Methodists journeyed to play University of Bristol Staff Seconds in damp, blustery conditions at Combe Dingle.
The home team batted first on a hard, dry wicket and immediately lost an opener to the first ball, bowled by Daniel Shearn (2–23). Aaron James and Alistair Brearley steadied things with forty for the second wicket before another couple went quickly. James (41) put on 32 in a stand with Mo Rashid, before the former became Craig Eyles’ (2–27) second victim, and Rashid (22) – joined by Pranav Sharma – then added another forty runs, until being run-out by Mark Robinson.
Sharma (33) eventually smashed one to deep long-off with the score on 138 – the last few overs seeing a scramble for runs by the lower order and Alex Nash picking up 2–4 in quick time. A final total at tea of 179–9 looked about par for the course for the home side.
After the break, the Methodists started steadily, adding 38 in fifteen overs for the loss of their top three batsmen. Mark Robinson and skipper, Stuart Green, then put on 58 in eleven overs, before Green (26) fell to Rashid (2–28) with the score on 96. Robinson continued to tick things over, but a procession of wickets at the other end, notably from Billy Cotton (2–30) and Chris Bell (2–13), kept the hosts in the contest.
The match was still in the balance come the final over but, with fourteen required and the last woman in, Robinson (51) had too much to do – the visitors succumbing to an eight-run defeat with one ball to go. This Saturday, the Methodists play Grendel at Norton Hill.
Daniel Shearn