JAH EYLES 223-7 MSN METHODISTS 224-4

The Methodists’ final game of the season was the annual friendly versus a team of (mainly MNCC) players selected by Club Captain, Jim Eyles, hosted by Midsomer Norton at their Withies Lane ground.

Jim’s XI were asked to bat first. John Carroll and Martin Purchase (Chilcompton CC) made a steady start against the bowling of Daniel Shearn and the accurate Iain Locke, until Carroll was caught on the straight boundary and was replaced by Josh Rodd. Purchase was next to go, bowled by Craig Eyles (2-32), and Rodd’s cameo was ended by an excellent Martin Woolley slip-catch – the score now 43-3 from fourteen overs. Thiaan Aspeling (Bath CC) and Robin Cray then took control of the innings for the batting side, adding 99 for the fourth wicket in quick time before Cray was bowled by a looping Darcey Green delivery for a handy 32.

Big-hitting Aspeling then switched to ‘everything must go’ mode as he raced to his century, adding a rapid 54 with Callum Bicknell (28), before finally edging Mark Robinson to ‘keeper, Dave Sackett, and departing for an impressive 103. Bicknell and Paul Justin took the total past 200 before both holing out to Shearn (3-45) in the penultimate over – the final score an imposing 223-7. After enjoying a tea (all proceeds donated to the MIND charity), the Methodists’ Martin Woolley and Alex Nash set about chasing down their substantial target against the bowling of Rodd and Bicknell. They’d put on an excellent 73 in sixteen overs by the time Woolley (25) was stumped by Beth Howe (Bath CC) off Bicknell’s (1-23) final delivery, but by now Nash was in full flow and would take some stopping.

Joined at the crease by Robinson, the score was doubled during the next eleven overs, as Nash pummelled the bowling to all parts, bringing up his hundred with his twentieth boundary. Another six fours and two sixes saw him accelerate to 140, before Justin (1-45) finally had him caught on the rope by Aspeling, with the total on 209 and, despite late wickets for Cray (2-18), Robinson (38*) was able to guide the Methodists to a comfortable six-wicket victory with twenty balls to spare, rounding off a very enjoyable afternoon.

Daniel Shearn