WESTON-SUPER-MARE 180-7 MIDSOMER NORTON (181)

In another nail-biting finish last Saturday, Midsomer Norton won by the narrowest of margins at Weston-super-Mare and defeated a side that included Somerset cricket star, Peter Trego.

Norton skipper, Nick Pang, won the toss and

decided to bat. Opener, John Carroll, was dismissed early on, but the rest of the Norton top order batted steadily, and Paul Robbins (34), Caleb Rowe (23) and Nick Cox (44) helped

Norton to 150-4. The third-wicket 52-run partnership between Rowe and Cox was the most productive for the visitors, with Rowe enduring a barrage of bouncers from Somerset’s Trego.

Runs were hard to come by though, and five wickets then fell for thirteen runs, and Norton slumped to

163-9. Last-wicket pair, Dan Chard and Gary Filer, then dug in and took the innings into the fiftieth over, adding valuable runs in the

process. Tahmid Ahmed was the stand-out bowler for the home side, taking 4-41.

Going out to field, Norton would have been pleased with the runs on the board, but wary of a batting line-up containing Somerset’s Trego. The home side made a steady but unspectacular start, and Peter Trego came in first wicket down with the score at 85-1. Trego shared in a 72-run stand for the third wicket but was dismissed for 42 by Norton’s player-coach, Jake Rowe’s first ball, to leave Weston 157-3.

The home side needed just 23 runs off the last eight overs with seven wickets in-hand. Tight bowling by Jake Rowe and Josh Sutton and a series of three run-outs then helped to turn the game on its head. Weston were 174-7 and needed eight to win off the last over bowled by Rowe.

Social media meant that supporters at Withies Lane were able to follow the game’s climax ball-by-ball, and Weston needed four off the last ball to win. The boundary didn’t materialise and Norton secured a memorable victory.

The win sets Norton up nicely for this Saturday’s fourth versus third contest at Withies Lane, when Norton take on Bishopston. The game starts at 12.30 p.m.

It was wins all round for Norton’s Senior sides last Saturday, as the Second and Third XIs won as well.

At Withies Lane last Saturday, for the Second XI against Failand & Portbury, Martin Blackmore scored a fantastic 112 as the home side scored 244-5 in 45 overs. A victory margin of over 200 runs was secured when the visitors were bowled out for 33 in just over ten overs. Neil Brooks and Chris Phylips did the damage with the ball. The Second XI visit St Mary Redcliffe this week.

For the Thirds at Hampset, Tyler Beale, Bruce Bicknell, Callum Bicknell and Reuben Hobbs took the wickets as Hampset were bowled out for 163 inside the allotted forty overs. Norton chased down the target for the loss of just four wickets, Paul Justin (35) and Bruce Bicknell (41) the leading run scorers for the visitors. The Third XI travel to Hanham on Saturday.

Charlie Matthews