After two abandoned games in a row, the Methodists just edged a tight game against a well-matched University of Bristol Staff team at Norton Hill.
Asked to bat first, the home side made a cautious start against the bowling of Brahma Vishwakarma and Captain, Billy Cotton, posting just seven runs in as many overs. Martin Woolley and Alex Nash built on this base with a stand of 31 for the third wicket, before skipper Stuart Green joined Nash (forty) to add another 53 and take the total past the hundred mark.
Some amazing spin-bowling from Kushgara (2-24) helped Pranav Sharma (2-32) and a returning Brahma (2-15) to rattle through the middle-order, but Green (44*) was able to shepherd the Methodists to a useful 153-8 at the tea-break.
The University Staff’s reply got off to a reasonable start, with openers, George Kirke and David Jennings, putting on a solid 31, before a great spell from James Sackett decimated the visitors’ top-order. In the space of five overs, the score slumped to 40-5 as Sackett (4-17) and James Green (2-25) got the most from the wicket, giving the home team the upper hand.
However, Brahma (24) and Kushgara fought hard to get the game back in the balance – their stand of forty getting the total to three-figures. Navdeep then helped Kushgara (32*) take the match into the 38th over, when a lbw for Josh Potter (2-20) finally ended the ten-man University side’s valiant run-chase to give the Methodists the win by 26 runs. Next week, the Methodists are away to Grendel at Filton.
Daniel Shearn