Timsbury were comprehensively outplayed at home by relegation-threatened Coalpit Heath, and slipped to fifth place in the Bristol and District League Senior Division after a seven-wicket defeat.
The Bristol side showed a greater intensity throughout the game, and the result gives them a great chance of staying in the Division after last year’s promotion.
After being put into bat, Timsbury got off to the worst possible start when leading scorer, Mark Sage, was needlessly run-out with just twenty on the board. Fellow opener, Andy Carter, looked in good nick and struck nine attractive boundaries, before being caught at point for 39.
Nathan Hawkins battled for nearly two hours for 32, but apart from Dan Hill (who provided an all too brief cameo for nineteen) and Arran Stewart (who showed late resistance with an undefeated fifteen), there was little substance to the home innings. Skipper, Kyle Rose, was the visitors’ most successful bowler, with 3-28.
Timsbury’s total of 153 was soon put into perspective by openers Dave Hilton and Pete Lamb, who put on 49 for the first wicket before Lamb was bowled by Jon Strand for twenty. Hilton was then joined by Dafydd Nicholas and a stand of 75 saw them well on their way, before Hilton was dismissed by Stewart for 58. Nicholas was to finish the job off with an undefeated sixty, as Coalpit Heath reached their target with just over two overs to spare.
There was much better news for the Second and Third teams, who both won their matches. Five wickets for James Rawlings and a half century from Rob Clothier were the highlights of the Seconds’ three-wicket win away to Almondsbury Seconds, which keeps them in the promotion hunt in Division Eight.
The Thirds were left to chase a total of 228 at home to Bristol West Indian Phoenix Thirds, but thanks to Matt Ball (86 not-out), Lee Hulbert (43), Kelvin Hancock (thirty) and Alex Lane (23 not-out) they raced to a seven-wicket victory.
In what is the penultimate week of the League season, Timsbury travel to bottom club, Portishead; the Seconds have a crucial match at home to Saltford and the Thirds are away to Old Bristolians Westbury Fourths.
Malcolm Tucker