Midsomer Norton, after making the short trip to Keynsham last Saturday, won the toss and decided to bat. With the sun shining brightly again, Norton’s familiar shortcomings with the bat were in evidence again.
Eventually, two batting partnerships helped Norton to a respectable total. But at 67-5, as skipper, Nick Pang, joined Sri Lankan, Hashan Gunathilaka, at the wicket, Keynsham looked to be in the ascendant. Pang (56) and Gunathilaka (48) put on 69 before Gunathilaka was run out, but at 136-6, Norton were struggling to assert real control over the match.
Alex Lear (28) was the only other top-order batsman to reach double figures. Norton then stumbled to 152-9 before a last-wicket partnership between Chris Hampshire and Josh Sutton helped the visitors post a total of 178, a far-from-daunting target, and once again, Norton had failed to bat out their full fifty overs.
After the interval, Norton must have been fearing the worst as Keynsham approached the century mark with just three wickets down – all three had fallen to skipper, Pang, who conceded just eleven runs from his ten overs. Gunathilaka then dismissed Keynsham’s Tom Bancroft (sixty) to leave the home side 98-4. Norton then turned the screw to take wickets at regular intervals.
With a similar looking scorecard to the visitors, only three Keynsham batsmen reached double figures, and the home side were all-out for 158, Norton’s last wicket partnership of 26 proving the difference between the two teams.
The Keynsham wickets were shared out amongst the Norton bowlers – Andrew Cox (3-36), Pang (3-11), Gunathilaka (3-36) and Daniel Chard (1-25). Norton remain fifth, but just one point behind the third and fourth-placed teams in the League.
Next up at Withies Lane on Saturday, 11th August at 12.30 p.m. are second-placed Ilminster. On the same day, the Second XI visit Frenchay and the Third XI are at home to Timsbury.
Charlie Matthews