A humid afternoon at Norton Hill saw the Methodists welcoming Twyford House ‘A’ XI and asking them to bat first on a very dry pitch.

Opening batsmen Ben Beecroft and Bert Welch made a careful start against some tidy bowling by Mark Robinson and Daniel Shearn, only scoring 15 runs by the time Robinson dismissed Welch in the tenth over. Beecroft - now joined by keeper Ethan Gordon-Nippress - continued to tick things over, Twyford reaching a modest 52 for 1 by the drinks break after twenty overs. 

The pair then began to up the ante, scoring more freely as the innings progressed, still having plenty of wickets in hand. Gordon-Nippress was finally caught for 33 to end a stand of 76 runs, but Beecroft and skipper Tom Dawes (32) then kicked on - the visitors now putting their collective foot down. 

Some hectic running and expansive shots saw Twyford add 105 runs in the final twelve overs - despite Alex Nash claiming three wickets - and boosting their total to 200 for 6, with Beecroft batting throughout the innings to finish unbeaten on a magnificent 87.

After tea, the Methodists suffered early losses to the accurate bowling of Si Preece (2-5) and Tom Harvey (1-19), slumping to 20 for 3 in the eighth over. Sixty-three runs for the fourth wicket between James Green (39) and father Stuart got the home side back in the game, but another collapse brought on by Dawes (2-13), Welch (2-1) and the experienced Gary Ball (3-2) saw the Methodists then subside quickly to a disappointing 93 all out, after just 31.4 overs. 

Daniel Shearn