The Methodists welcomed nine-man Old Down Seconds to a sunny Norton Hill and, upon winning the toss, asked them to bat first.

Tidy bowling from Daniel Shearn (2–5) and James Sackett (2–21) soon had the visitors in difficulty, as they lost their first four wickets with just 26 runs on the board; good catching from Mark Robinson and excellent work in the slips from Martin Woolley helped the home side to an early advantage.

Having gained the upper hand, the Methodists’ skipper, Stuart Green, then changed the bowling, employing the spin of Craig Eyles (2–8) and the seam of Robinson (1–3) as more wickets fell to leave the depleted tourists seven down for just 32. Old Down’s last pair, Stuart Bushell and Ben Riggs, then hung around for a while to add 22 runs for the final wicket, before the re-introduction of Eyles saw the innings wrapped up for 54 after only 22.4 overs.

After a brief interval, the Methodists’ reply began badly, with Riggs claiming a victim from just the fourth legitimate delivery of the innings. Second-wicket pair, Alex Nash and ’keeper, Dave Sackett, then restored some stability, as they began to knock the ball around and build a good partnership, seeing off Riggs (1–19) and the dangerous Andy Rowen, and adding 32 runs in eight overs. Sackett (15) was somewhat unlucky to pick out one of the few Old Down fielders off George Rowen’s (1–5) bowling in the ninth over, but Nash (33*) finished things off in typically belligerent manner with eighteen from the twelfth over to complete the brief run-chase before tea.

Final Call – Methodist Cricket Booklet!

Midsomer Norton Methodist Cricket Club’s latest booklet, entitled, Towards 70 Years of Methodist Cricket in the Midsomer Norton Area will be ready in the autumn. It was previously scheduled for 2015, then 2016.

If you have any memories, stories, or photographs which you would like to share of local cricket, especially on the Methodist cricket scene – matches, individuals, stories, please contact Jim Eyles (Club Captain) on: 01761 418938 or David Shearn (Compiler) on: 01761 413473 who will be delighted to receive submissions for consideration by 10th September. Daniel Shearn