The Methodists’ final league game of the season saw them entertaining Bedminster Fourths at Norton Hill – a pressure-free occasion as both teams had already avoided the drop from BDCA Division Ten.
Batting first, the visitors lost a couple of early wickets but Oscar Sullivan (21) and Aled Vaughan then added 32 for the third to help the scoreboard look a bit more healthy. Another tidy spell from Howard Jones (2–26), plus two wickets for Craig Eyles, then put Bedminster back in trouble at 60 for 5, and this time, the momentum stayed with the home side. James Green’s innocuous-looking slow bowling did for four of the last five batters in the space of three overs as the opposition’s tail failed to wag, with Bedminster only able to muster a below-par 85 all out in 33.4 overs.
In the eight overs completed before the tea break, the Methodists’ opening batsmen, Alex Nash and Mark Robinson, gave their innings a great start, putting on a run-a-ball 38 before Robinson was smartly caught off the bowling of Alfie Derrick at point.
Further losses were avoided before the interval but, on resumption, Derrick (2–11) was once again quickly into the action, sending another batsman back to the pavilion to leave the Methodists on 41 for 2.
This brought the experienced Roger Howe (18*) to the crease to join Nash (45*), and the pair swiftly quelled any lingering doubts of a batting collapse, knocking off the 45 runs required in just eight overs, giving the home team victory by eight wickets and leaving the Methodists placed nicely in the middle of the Division Ten table.
Daniel Shearn