Unbeaten run goes on to maintain lead
Bath continued their unbeaten West of England Premier League Premier One campaign with victory over Chippenham to maintain their 46-point lead at the top.
Under cloudy skies, hosts Chippenham elected to bat but soon lost opener Ollie Meadows (5) on 25-1. Their innings never really got going against the tight bowling despite five batters surpassing 20, with none of them able to make a significant score. Chippenham finished on an under-par 208-9 from their 50 overs. Brad Porteous was the pick of the bowlers with 5-33 from his ten overs.
Bath’s reply got off to a fine start through openers Jack Scrivens (38) and Porteous, as they put on 88 for the first wicket. After Scrivens was caught by Ralph Hardwick, Harry Ellison had been promoted up the order and produced a run a ball 110 partnership with Porteous before the opener was agonisingly trapped in front on 99. Ellison (52) soon followed, leaving Sam Young (4*) and Tim Rouse (8*) to knock off the winning runs in the 38th over to win by seven wickets.
It was the perfect response after Bath missed out on a place in Taunton last Thursday, losing by 12 runs in the semi-final of the Somerset Major Cup. Having opted to field against Bedminster, Bath were left chasing 184-5 in 20 overs and although Young (62) and Rouse (35) made solid contributions, Bath were bowled out for 172 with the final ball to fall narrowly short.
Bath’s second side hosted Brislington in Bristol & North Somerset Division at North Parade. Electing to bat, the home openers made 94 before Henry Allen (43) was bowled. Richard Pandya (40) soon followed, but captain Kester Moseley (86*) and Harry Allen (55) put on 118 for the third wicket. After Allen’s departure, Moseley batted with the middle order to see Bath up to 249-4 from their 50 overs.
Despite losing opener Parag Khanapurkar (15), Brislington’s reply was a positive one – built around an undefeated 107 from Charlie Brain and 58 from number five Chris Munden. With the rest of the order chipping in, Brislington comfortably passed the total with five overs remaining to win by six wickets.
The Third Team were at home to Lodway at the Brownsword Ground in the Bristol & District League. Lodway chose to bat and although the openers got off to a fine start, Bath bowled tightly and kept taking wickets. Alan Alex snapped up 4-28 in his eight overs as Lodway finished slightly under-par on 200-8 from their 40 overs.
Despite losing Toby Eayres (1), Bath stuck to their task with Thiaan Aspeling (30), Ted Roe (68*) and Gavin Royce (40*) combining excellently to see the hosts to victory – winning by six wickets with eight overs to spare. The win keeps Bath’s hopes of avoiding relegation alive as they move seven points from safety.
The Fourth Side travelled to University of Bristol Staff. Bath openers George Freeman (34) and Rhys Williams (23) got off to a good start, which was followed up by skipper Jonathan Green (65*) alongside some of the younger batters as they set 201-5 from their 40 overs.
Staff’s reply was built around an excellent 84 from opener captain Tim Wong and number three Charles Clarke (58*). They reached victory with ten overs to go and with seven wickets in hand.
Bath’s Wanderers hosted South West Women’s Regional League leaders Newport at North Parade on Sunday and recorded an excellent 147-run win. After opting to bat, Bath lost opener captain Emma Godman (9) but the rest of the order produced the performance of the season as Katie Dolman (74) and Charlotte Phillips (89*) took the hosts to an above-par 239-4 from their 40 overs.
Newport started well, with opener Lauren Parfitt (40) topscoring. After fellow opener Charlotte Scarborough was trapped in front, Bath tore through the order with some excellent bowling – in particular from Megs Woodward (3-6) and Emily Smith (2-19). The win moves Wanderers to within five points of the leaders.
■ WEPL Lansdown picked up their first win since the start of July to move within 23 points of safety in Premier One. Hosting Bedminster, Lansdown were asked to bat and opener Noah Davis (52) and number four George Scott (39) put on 53 for the third wicket before Scott and captain Jordan Smith (40) added 42 for the fourth. Smith was then joined by wicket-keeper Max Trotman who top-scored with 73 to push Lansdown over 200, which became 268-7 by the end of their 50 overs.
Bedminster’s reply never really got going, with only Steven Snell (40) offering any real resistance and Lansdown bowled their visitors out for 112 in 30 overs to win by 156-runs.
Corsham moved onto four consecutive wins in Prem 2 Glos/wilts as they closed to within 12 points of leaders Goatacre in third. Travelling to bottom side Warminster, Corsham were asked to bat and although they slipped to 18-2, opener Tom Abbott (54) and Liam Hughes put on 167 for the third wicket.
Hughes would go on to score a fantastic 121 from 109 balls which included 20 fours a six as, with support from Michael Reynolds (22) and Paul van Meekeren (35), Corsham reached 299 before being bowled out with the penultimate ball of the innings. Warminster’s reply lasted just 23 overs before they were skittled for just 75 to see Corsham win by 224 runs. Ahmed Jamal whipped through the middle and lower order to claim 6-13.
Marshfield remain a place below Corsham but are now 16 points behind following their defeat at second-place Frocester. The hosts chose to bat but Marshfield were able to bowl them out for 178 in 46.4 overs, Tom Clist taking 3-32. However, only Dave Jenkins (26) passed 20 in reply for Marshfield as they were dismissed for 101 in the 37th over to lose by 77 runs.
Keynsham’s unbeaten run since the start of June in Bristol & North Somerset Division came to a crashing end at home to Congresbury, the last side to beat Keynsham back at the end of May. Having elected to field, Keynsham were faced tackling 310-7 despite two wickets apiece from Joe Jackson and Jack Stiff.
Although Will Burston and Antony Cains (53) made 114 for the third wicket – with Burston striking 105 from 98 balls with an innings including 13 fours – and James Burston (56) also reaching his halfcentury, the rest of the order failed to deliver as they finished 29 runs short on 281-9. Keynsham do remain top of the table, but now only by a point from Knowle and two from Congresbury.
Hinton Charterhouse’s sixgame winning run also came to an end at home to Biddestone in the Wiltshire Division. The visitors chose to bat and made 265 before being bowled out with the final ball of the innings, James Jacob and John Newport took three wickets apiece. A poor start left Charterhouse 18-3 before captain Henry Cheal and Benjamin Hadfield (32) put on 82 for the fourth wicket.
Cheal went on to score 114 from 119 balls, including 13 fours and four sixes, but was given little support until Conor Grant’s unbeaten 40. However, too many wickets had fallen and Charterhouse were all out in the 47th over for 240, 25 runs short.
Corsham 2nd extended their lead over second bottom Westbury & District to 13 points after their five-wicket win. Corsham asked their visitors to bat and were left chasing 182-9 after Alfie Johnson’s 3-16. Ed Vickery (59) and Luke Curtis (54*) produced a match-winning 88-run partnership for the third wicket as Corsham reached their target in the 40th over.
■ WILTSHIRE LEAGUE Bear Flat claimed their third win from four completed games in July. Hosting Division One second Chippenham 2nd, Joe De Souza (72*) and Ross Newman (47) combined for the fourth wicket as Bear posted 190-7 from their 45 overs.
Josh Parkryn (4-29) cleared the Chippenham tail as the visitors were dismissed for 121 in the 38th over to see Bear victorious by 69 runs.
Box enjoyed a second consecutive win in Division Two. Jordan Welsby was agonisingly bowled on 99 as he and Jake Pettit (73) put on a great second wicket stand to help Box to 275-9. Visitors Nationwide House were then bowled out for 158 in 40 overs to see Box win by 117 runs. Gerald Hayward claimed 4-27 alongside two wickets each for Richard Foley and Andy Hamilton.
Second bottom Bradford on Avon closed the gap on their nearest rivals to three points despite losing at Trowbridge 2nd. Wade Pettican top-scored for Bradford as they reached 204 before being bowled out in the 42nd over. Trowbridge needed 35.4 overs to win the tie with three wickets in hand. Pete Andrews did his best to steer the contest back in Bradford’s favour with 5-43 but Trowbridge held on.
Combe Down have moved five points clear of Potterne 3rd into second in Division Three. James Mitchell carried his bat for a fantastic unbeaten 132 as Down set their hosts 247-6 to win. Potterne were then dismissed for 188 inside 42 overs to see Down win by 59 runs. Peter Lee-wright (3-32) claimed the top three before Santosh Nair and Harsh Vardhan Singh helped themselves to two wickets apiece.
Marshfield 2nd also enjoyed victory at home to Royal Wootton Bassett 2nd. Tom Clay (60), Russell Lodge (78) and Oliver Hendy (53) all reached their half-centuries to help Marshfield to 261-9. Bassett were stubborn in their reply but finished 86 runs short on 175-6.
In Division Four, fifth-place Corsham 3rd have been caught by Sherston Magna after losing by four wickets. James Edmund (83), Chris Grace (36) and Elliot Short (48*) all contributed as Corsham set 236-5 to chase, which Magna did in 41.3 overs despite Ethan Crayford’s 3-44.
Fourth-place Hinton Charterhouse 2nd also suffered defeat at Marlborough 2nd. Fin White (38) top-scored for Charterhouse as they stumbled to 194-9 off their innings. Marlborough needed 38 overs to reach the target, losing just five wickets in the process.
Division 7W leaders Bradford on Avon 2nd were handed a home walkover by bottom side Spye Park 2nd. Second-place Bathford kept the pace with 76-run victory at Lacock. Adam Brunton starred with his 115 as Bathford made 2638. Lacock were then bowled out for 187 in the 42nd over as Brunton capped off a player of the match performance with 4-34.
Corsham 4th suffered a sixwicket loss at home to Winsley 3rd. Rhys Eley (43) and Luke Draper (41) were the only real contributions before Corsham were bowled out for 162 in 38 overs. Winsley took 31.4 overs to win the game with relative ease.
Marshfield 3rd were beaten even more convincingly by visitors Potterne 4th. Colin Sinkins batted through the innings for an unbeaten 74 as Daniel Watson (44) was bowled before Marshfield reached 160-7. Potterne needed just 27 overs to reach the target, losing only two wickets in the process.
Division 8W leaders Box held on to beat Melksham 2nd by three wickets. Melksham were bowled out for 163 in the 43rd over as Henry Gibbens claimed 4-36 and Dave Crawford 3-19. Gibbens (49) and Graham Horn (42) then provided the most damage with the bat to see Box over the line in their 43rd over, having lost seven wickets.
Bathford 2nd suffered an eightwicket defeat at home to Trowbridge 3rd. A steady start to the innings was propelled by S Allard’s unbeaten 123 as Bathford made 247-5. It proved insufficient though as Trowbridge reached the target in 30 overs.
■ SOMERSET LEAGUE Bear Flat 2nd received maximum points from Churchill 2nd’s concession in Division Seven Blue. They managed to claw a point back on leaders Shaftesbury Road to sit nine points behind.
■ TIMSBURY It proved a weekend of mixed emotions for Timsbury as the first team claimed a crucial sixwicket win at Winterbourne 2nd in the Bristol & District League Senior Division, only to follow it up with a disappointing six-wicket defeat at Cleeve in the semi-final of the Somerset Intermediate Cup the following day.
On a fast-scoring ground, Winterbourne set Timsbury a challenging 228 after being dismissed in the final over. Kieran Slade (62), Raja Arbaz Hussain (40) and Zak Hamid (36) led the home effort, with the consistent Kev Sibley (3-46) again the most successful bowler. There were also braces for Sam Hoddinott (2-27) and Gary Pearcy (2-46).
In reply, Timsbury made light of the target, winning with more than eight overs to spare. After the early loss of Sibley, Graeme Webb (60) and Greg Passingham (41) added 97 for the second wicket. The inform Jack Williams added a rapid 46 before Pearcy (31*) and acting captain Jesse Bishop (20*) got over the job done.
Timsbury’s hopes of a visit to Taunton for the county finals quickly evaporated in what was probably one of their worst displays of the season. Electing to bat, Timsbury’s innings never really got going, with only Williams (40) featuring significantly in a 20-over total of 108-7. Strong bowling and fielding in reply never materialised as Cleeve opener Want (62*) batted throughout the innings to knock off the runs with ten balls to spare.
The Second Side made a poor start at home to Brislington 3rd in Division Five, but the Rawlings brothers helped set a competitive 175 as younger sibling Will made 50 and James 46.
There were also useful contributions from Rob Clothier (27) and Adam Workman (21). Brislington reached their target with just an over to spare to win by four wickets. Saain Maroof led the chase with 40, while there were two wickets each for Seb Nix (2-27) and acting captain Dan Hill (2-30).
The Third Team were involved in a run-fest at Brislington 4th in Division 13 before losing by 79 runs. Batting first, Brislington amassed an imposing 357-6, with James Phillips making 154, Luke Holloway 69 not out and Ollie Barlass 57. Ollie Phillips took 2-23 and Laurie Jones 2-65.
Timsbury made a spirited reply, with Anthony Fairlie (102*) becoming the second centurion of the day. Dan Nesbitt continued his good form with 65, while Rawlings father Chris scored 42 as the visitors finished on 278-5.
■ WILTSHIRE suffered another loss to Wales, this time in the NCCA Championship.
After early rain, 70 overs were possible on day one and Ed Young and Jake Goodwin put on 103 runs for the fourth wicket before the former fell for 102.
Goodwin was joined the following morning by Jack Mynott (55*) and they added 115 as Goodwin claimed his century with the final ball of the 90th over.
Wales had several make a start without really pushing on, with Brad Wadlan (77) the most successful. Joe King claimed 3-75 but Jake Lintott did the most damage with 6-67 as Wales were bowled out for 284 to see Wiltshire lead by 78.
Wiltshire struggled to build despite Young’s determined 48 and opener Will Naish’s 45. King (15) and Cameron Harding (44*) added 59 runs for the ninth wicket before they were dismissed for 208 during the third day.
Wales needed 287 to win and a solid third-wicket stand between Brown (87) and Smith (71) scored 127 before Sam Pearce struck a match-winning unbeaten 79 from 46 balls to see Wales home with plenty to spare. Josh Croom took 2-59 but it mattered not.
On Sunday, Wiltshire played a showcase game against Gloucestershire and enjoyed a memorable day despite losing by 218 runs.