Midsomer Norton were asked to bat as Portishead visited Withies Lane in the first WEPL Bristol and North Somerset league match of the season.
Alex Lear and Nick Pang opened the innings for the home side, hoping to take advantage of the new power play regulations, and the tone of the innings was set in the first over which went for ten runs. Pang was the dominant partner to begin with, as he raced to a half century from only 28 balls.
The Portishead bowlers struggled to find form and were not helped by the fielders, as several chances of varying difficulty were put down. Lear’s fifty came from 55 balls and the century partnership was posted in the twelfth over. Runs continued to flow and the partnership moved on to 206, before Pang was caught off the bowling of Rob Chick for 126 from 92 balls, including fourteen fours and four sixes. Martin Cox then joined Lear and there was no let-up as he raced to fifty from 36 balls and Lear completed his personal century during another century stand. Both were then dismissed and Norton lost two more wickets before a declaration was made in the 45th over to give the home side a chance of securing two extra batting points.
Thunder, lightning and rain during the tea interval did not affect the length of the game and Shailesh Bhondekar (2–52) bowled a lively spell, despite travelling for eighteen hours to arrive in time for his first match for the club.
It was the introduction of Niel Brooks (4–30) which achieved the breakthrough and the first three batsmen were undone by swing. At this point, a win for the visitors was unlikely, but Vishay Shastri played well and there were contributions from the tail which pushed the visitors’ total to 197, just short of a fourth batting point.
This Saturday, Midsomer Norton’s First XI travel to Winterbourne CC, who were also victorious in their first match of the season; the game starts at 1 p.m. The Second XI are at home to Chew Magna at Withies Lane and the Third XI are at home to Nailsea – both of these games start at 1.30 p.m.
Charlie Matthews