TIMSBURY’S plight in the Bristol and District League Division 1 table worsened after they were convincingly beaten by 8 wickets at home to Cleeve. The home side’s total of 167 was made to look vastly under par with Cleeve’s impressive overseas acquisition Motlhanka scoring an unbeaten 67.

After the early loss of Mark Sage and Lew Redwood, Gary Pearcy looked in good nick before being dismissed for 20 at which point Kev Sibley and Greg Passingham came together to produce a fluent fourth wicket stand of 64 .

The home side reached 127-3 before Sibley was out for 40 and although Passingham went on to a valuable 50, his best score of the season, wickets started to fall at regular intervals with the last 7 wickets going down for 40 runs. For Cleeve Elswood took 3-28 and Spiers 3-11.

Timsbury were involved in a close finish when the sides met earlier this season but this return fixture had a look of inevitability about it long before the end. Freddie Hosford (2-26) took the two wickets to fall but Motlhanka and Lewin (43 not out) steered their side to victory with plenty to spare.

Timsbury’s second eleven put up a fine show away to second in the table Bristol New Eleven in the Bristol and District League Division 6 before going down by 2 wickets.

After being asked to bat the visitors made an excellent start with openers Cory Versfeld and Jake Brooks putting on 122.

Versfeld was to fall just 10 runs short of a well deserved century but with Brooks contributing 47 and Dan Hill unbeaten on 53 Timsbury finished on a challenging 222-2. The home side raced away in response and reached 117-1 before Timsbury started to fight back. Oscar Humphries took 3-52 and Matt Ball 2-44 but steady batting saw the Bristol side cross the winning line.