A MAGNIFICENT undefeated 98 from Mark Sage steered Timsbury to their second consecutive win against high riding opposition with a nailbiting two-wicket success away to second placed Lodway in Division One of the Bristol and District Cricket League.

Once again the batting frailties which have dogged their season threatened to throw away a dominant position but thanks to Sage and lower order support they got over the line to continue their fight to avoid relegation.

Lodway elected to bat first and they faced a Timsbury attack entirely depending on spin. It proved a successful ploy for the visitors and it needed a late surge led by Rice (63) to enable them to reach their final total of 177-8. Freddie Hosford (2-30) and Sam Hoddinott (1-18 in 8 overs) kept a tight rein early on and Greg Passingham picked up four late wickets in a tidy spell that went for 36 runs.

For the second week in a row Sage and his fellow opener Gary Pearcy gave Timsbury a tremendous start in reply and it all looked plain sailing as they put on 90 for the first wicket before Pearcy was dismissed for an impressive 31.

While Sage looked in total control the same could not be said at the other end with Timsbury contriving to lose five wickets for just 22 runs as they declined from 107-2 to 129-7. It was symptomatic of their season but thanks to Sage, an important cameo of 18 from Cory Versfeld and Sam Hoddinott who hit the winning boundary, the visitors collected 19 valuable points with Sage just two runs short of his second successful century.

Timsbury’s second eleven were unable to follow the example of their senior side and were beaten by 184 runs at home to Lodway’s second eleven in Division Six of the Bristol and District League.

Bowling first Timsbury paraded arguably their youngest ever attack with Albie Sage and Daniel Gifford opening the bowling. Sage struck in his first over and there was a wicket each for Gifford and fellow teenager Oscar Humphries but it was hard going for the home side with Lodway striking a mammoth 293-3.

Hashim Ahmed made 145 and Kivell with an unbeaten 107 shared in a third wicket stand of 248. Home skipper Adam Workman top scored for Timsbury with 29 but they were never in the hunt with Williamson taking 4-19 for the visitors.

Timsbury third eleven posted 156-7 in their away fixture with Bitton second eleven in Division Nine East of the Bristol and District League but in the end it was not quite enough as they were defeated by four wickets.

Matt Ball with 50 and skipper Chris Rawlings with 39 were the main contributors for the visitors but a rapid knock of 64 from Rehman Ahmed saw Bitton home with more than 12 overs to spare. Ball followed up his batting with 2-40 and Milo Sage took 2-22.