Steve Curtis and his brilliant team of ground staff did a fantastic job to get this game on. After the heavy rainfall the previous day, the pitch was soft despite being under covers.
Winscombe won the toss and elected to insert Temple in to bat. Home Captain, Simon White, and youngster, Connagh Wilton, opened the batting slowly but surely. Wilton was the first wicket to fall, caught for a useful 21 with the score on 65-1 off sixteen overs. Vice-Captain, Richard Appleyard, looked to accelerate the run rate punishing the bad ball, eventually departing for a solid 33 bowled by Coe, who finished with 2-27 from five overs, with the scoreboard showing 120-3 off thirty overs.
Jon Doel was next to the crease, joining Simon White who finished unbeaten on 63, a brave and sensible innings after taking a blow to the face despite wearing a helmet. Doel proceeded to smash the ball to all parts of the ground including over the pavilion and road, as he finished on 60 not-out, the highlight being three sixes in a row to finish the innings. Temple were content to take tea after making 203-3 from their forty overs.
Winscombe started their reply brightly, ticking along nicely to keep up with the required run rate. Catchable chances came and went as Temple wondered if it would be their day.
Appleyard and Paul Lester bowled tightly as usual but without reward. An excellent run out by Doel and the wicketkeeper accounting for opening batsmen, E. Griffith for 12 as Roy Gardener had other opener, Coe, superbly caught by the bruised, battered and surprised White.
Doel and Wilton were introduced to the attack bowling a testing line and length as Winscombe looked to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Another rumour from Doel saw the wickets start to tumble as Wilton finished with 3-21 from his fantastic eight-over spell. Young Jack Gardener took the catch of the match, making his debut for the club, as well as bowling well at the end as Dan Wilson also bowled his first over for the club, generously offering to make a game of it.
Winscombe eventually came up short by 34 runs, giving Temple a well-deserved win and a guarantee of League safety again for next season.
Jon Doel