Methodists 124 all out Bristol Uni Staff 2nds 168 all out

The final league game of the season saw the Methodists entertaining University of Bristol Staff 2nds at an arid, windy Norton Hill School, and asking the visitors to bat first.

Opening pair Aaron James and Sai Kollareddy got off to a good start with a steady 56 runs in fourteen overs, before Craig Eyles finally removed James (25) with his spin bowling.

Another quick wicket for Paul Evans was then followed by a patient stand of 44 between Kollareddy and Alistair Brearley (23), only ended when the latter became the first victim of James Green’s slow, looping deliveries. Kollareddy (54) eventually played a James Sackett ball back onto his stumps, which saw him join what was becoming a procession of departing batsmen, as Green was slowly working his magic at the other end.

Joe Asplet (31) was the only lower-order batter to score freely as Uni Staff found various ways to give Green (6-35) their wickets, the visitors going from a handy 109-2 to 168 all out in the final fourteen overs of their innings - a great performance from the fielding side and their in-form captain.

After tea, the home batsmen were quickly in trouble, as Simon Lock (2-15) and Al Flint (2-25) reduced the Methodists’ innings to 31-4 inside the first nine overs.

It was hard to see a way back from there, but skipper James and father Stuart Green added 28 for the fifth wicket, and Matt Kerr helped Green senior (25) put on another 27 for the sixth. But Madhu Kollareddy (1-19) and Max Duffen (2-20) made sure that the home side wouldn’t make an unlikely comeback and, while the tail-enders batted gamely, the Methodists were eventually dismissed for 124 after 35.1 overs, to give the Uni Staff a deserved win.

Final Methodists game of the season: JAH Eyles Invitational XI at Midsomer Norton CC, 1pm on Saturday, 10th September.

Daniel Shearn