Bristol Uni Staff 2nds 139-4 Methodists 138-5

A delayed start saw the match reduced to thirty five overs per side, and a crucial toss was won by the university skipper, who then asked the visitors to bat first. A steady start in tricky conditions saw only twenty runs come from the first ten overs bowled by Al Flint and Madhu Kollareddy, but gradually Methodists’ captain Alex Nash was able to increase the scoring rate. Together with Simon Howlett, 44 runs were added in eight overs for the third wicket (tidy bowling by Pranav Sharma (2-33) then removing Howlett) and another 32 runs put on by Nash and Matt Kerr. With the total now on 118, Nash’s fine innings of 85 was finally ended by the accurate Lock (1-18), and it was left to the experienced Kerr (26*) to guide the Methodists to their final total of 135-5 at the break.

After tea, the home batsmen enjoyed the drying wicket and were seldom troubled by the sort of movement of earlier in the afternoon. Skipper Aaron James (16) and Adi Manjunath put on 40 for the first wicket, and Manjunath - having survived an early chance - then batted with great composure throughout the rest of the innings. His partnership with Sharma (26) for the third wicket saw 75 runs added with ease and took the Uni Staff to within two runs of victory, before a late double-strike from Nash gained a consolation point for the visitors. Manjunath remained unbeaten however, with a match-winning 86 to his name, as he guided the hosts to an assured six-wicket victory.

Next Methodists game - Stapleton Thirds (away) on 9th July.

Daniel Shearn