A good all-round team performance saw Midsomer Norton’s First XI secure their third consecutive victory against league leaders, Frome, on their own ground last Saturday. With the summer temperatures rising, so is the intensity of Midsomer Norton’s cricket.
The home side won the toss and batted first. Filer and Phylips opened the bowling for the visitors and Filer took the wickets of both openers to leave Frome 25–2 in the thirteenth over. This set the tone for the remainder of the innings, as Frome were unable to develop a partnership of any substance. Norton ran through the bowling changes. Seven bowlers were used in all, and the wickets were shared around – three for Rowe, two each for Filer and Sutton, and one apiece for Hankins, Chard and Pang. Frome’s 109 all out looked very reachable – and so it proved.
Skipp and Pang put on just over fifty for the first wicket before Skipp’s dismissal. Both Pang (44) and Jake Rowe (30 not out) scored their runs at more than two per ball which meant that Midsomer Norton chased down the target in less than fourteen overs to secure a comfortable seven wicket victory and knock their hosts from top spot in WEPL Prem 2.
This Saturday, the First XI travel to Weston-super-Mare, who are two places and six points ahead of Norton in the league table.
With the Seconds batting first, Martin Cox (69) and Chris Hampshire (44 not out) helped Norton to 185–5 at the end of their forty overs but visitors Cleeve chased the runs down without losing a wicket in just over thirty overs. The Seconds play at Withies Lane again this Saturday when they take on Bohemians.
There were some good performances in the Third XI’s fifty run win at Old Bristolians Westbury. The visitors scored 239–7 in forty overs with Jon Ablett scoring a century and Ben Bicknell a half century.
The home side lost eight wickets in reaching 189 at the end of their allotted overs. Lawrence, Fuller, Cassidy and Callum Bicknell took the wickets. The Third XI have a home game against Thornbury on Saturday.
Charlie Matthews