Bath Exiles were asked to bat first on a soft, slow Lansdown pitch and initially found scoring difficult.
A Methodist breakthrough in the fifth over brought Ryan Costello to the crease to join Brian O’Callaghan and, although O’Callaghan’s unorthodox batting style constantly suggested the fall of a wicket was imminent, their stand lasted for 21 overs. They had added 73 by the time Brian was eventually dismissed for an entertaining 23, his wicket prompting an Exiles collapse as the home side slipped from 80–1 to 124 all out in just thirteen overs. Alex Nash proved deadly in the field for the visitors, being instrumental in amazingly running out four Exiles batsmen, while Craig Eyles and Daniel Shearn each picked up a couple of wickets to further the Methodists’ cause. Costello’s valuable 59 was the mainstay of the hosts’ innings but, despite regularly finding the boundary in the latter stages, the Exiles were unable to reach the total which had initially seemed on the cards.
After tea, the Methodists’ reply was given early impetus with a stand of 29 between Martin Woolley and Wayne Higgins. Richard Jones, with 3–24, the most incisive of the Exiles bowlers, eventually ended their partnership, but Higgins was then able to add another 38 with Eyles for the second wicket and an even fifty with skipper, Stuart Green (25*), for the fourth. He finally brought up his maiden half-century for the club in the 28th over as he simultaneously wrapped up a comfortable seven-wicket win for the delighted Methodist team.
Daniel Shearn