The Midsomer Norton Methodists travelled to picturesque Dinder, Somerset, for a mid-week T20, which would be a ten-a-side game due to a shortage of available players all round.

The Methodists included Mike and Max Francis, Midsomer Norton Cricket Club’s Paul Justin, and also welcomed back Matt Brooks for the first time in around fifteen years.

Batting first, Dinder and Croscombe found it hard to gain early momentum, scoring only 35 in their initial eight overs.

Josh Potter made the first breakthrough for the visitors, bowling the dangerous J. Barnes for 26, while fellow opener, S. Barnes, was run out from distance by James Green four overs later. Potter (2–17) then removed Dinder’s skipper, C. Harvey, as heavy cloud and darkness began to roll over the ground – the remainder of the innings being played in the sort of gloom in which headlights would have been useful.

Paul Justin grabbed a brace of late wickets with his spin and, along with young Max Francis’ accurate final overs, helped keep the home team to a modest 99–5.

Fortunately, the heavy cloud passed by without the expected deluge, and conditions grew much brighter for the second innings. The Methodists lost Mike Francis to an early run-out, but Alex Nash (34) and Matt Brooks then made decent progress, adding 43 runs in eight overs until Nash was bowled by the experienced Roy Bobbett. Brooks (30*) and James Green (23*) finished the job with seventeen balls to spare, giving the Methodists a comfortable seven-wicket win.

Daniel Shearn