Methodists 144–3 Brislington 4th XI 140 all out
Brislington elected to bat first, but lost their first man in just the third over, caught in the gully by the athletic John Baker.
Captain Chris Roach (19) looked in good form, finding the boundary three times in quick succession, but then top-edged Daniel Shearn’s delivery to the sprightly Roger Howe, the first of two wickets in the seventh over. The gusty conditions and swinging ball then helped Shearn (4–20) to pick up another in the ninth over, leaving Brislington rocking on 34–4 and in danger of collapsing. Fortunately for the visitors, Andy Maule and Sam Harris then got together to mount a fight-back for the
batting side – their stand of 48 in fourteen overs rescuing the innings and getting the team back on track. Harris eventually perished for 23, the first of three wickets for Meths’ skipper, Stuart Green, but Maule (42) was able to add another 35 with the talented Seth Kingston (18), who was eventually last man out as Brislington posted 140 all out.
The Methodists’ reply looked solid to start with, but was then upset as both openers were lost during the ninth and tenth overs. At 17–2, Alex Nash jump-started the innings with a quick-fire twenty to help boost the total to 49 in the sixteenth, but it was the partnership of 73 between Craig Eyles (17) and Green which really put the home side back in the ascendancy. Eyles had to retire ill with the score on 122, but the mercurial Roger Howe was on hand to help the unstoppable Green (56*) finish off the run-chase and seal a seven-wicket win.
D. Shearn