MIDSOMER NORTON METHODISTS 144-8 BRISTOL NEW ELEVEN 146-5
At Norton Hill, the Methodists chose to bat first against promotion-seeking Bristol New Eleven, and got a solid start – Mark Robinson and Ross Warren (on loan from Chilcompton) putting on 31 for the first wicket.
However, both then departed in consecutive overs to the bowling of Rathish Sasi and Noel Nevis, respectively, before a brief cameo from Alex Nash saw the total reach 47-3. Stuart Green and son, James, doubled the score for the fourth wicket, with Craig Eyles (26) then joining Stuart (23) to add a further 39 runs – all three batsmen being subsequently removed by the excellent Manoj Varghese (3-18). A frenetic last few overs saw a run-out and a second wicket for Sasi (2-27) as the Methodists posted a modest 144-8 at tea, extras top-scoring with a useful 38.
After the break, New Eleven got off to a flyer with Delmi Mathew and Milton John smashing 43 runs for the visitors in the opening five overs, before a couple of wickets for Daniel Shearn saw the prolific Gagandeep Singh joining Mathew at the crease. The visitors maintained the high scoring rate for the next five overs before a period of relative calm saw New Eleven lose Mathew (45) to the tidy bowling of Nash, and reach drinks at 108-3.
Gagandeep continued to score freely until James Green eventually trapped him lbw for 56, while a further wicket for Shearn (3-23) proved only a minor inconvenience for the the visitors – New Eleven evenually reaching their target with five wickets and thirteen overs to spare, although the Methodists kept the contest going for longer than expected.
Daniel Shearn