Chris Hampshire turned in a brilliant, match-winning performance last Saturday for Midsomer Norton. Playing away at Pak Bristolians, the right-arm seamer dismantled the opposition with figures of 6–15 in just 5.2 overs.

On a difficult wicket in Bristol, Norton were defending a total of 196 as the home side started to mount what appeared a well-timed chase. Omar Randhawa and Ghulam Shabir were both in their thirties, with the team score nearing seventy for three, when Hampshire was introduced into the attack.

Soon after, it was game over. Hampshire had Randhawa caught behind for 35, then sat on a hat-trick as the next bat was out-caught by Ben Strang. While the hat-trick didn’t materialise, the wickets had only just started to tumble as Hampshire bowled a tight, straight line which gave Pak Bristolians no hiding places.

Nick Pang had made inroads at the start, removing three early with his gripping off-spin. With Hampshire’s efforts, Norton’s number one spinner, Martin Cox, wasn’t needed. From 70–3, the home side were all out for just 91 in the 28th over, Hampshire fittingly taking the final wicket with yet another LBW shout going in his favour.

With the bat, Norton had looked in trouble when 3–3 inside the opening five overs as the wicket proved tricky early on. But Pang, opening the batting, counter-attacked at the right times to push Norton’s score past 100. Pang ended with 68 to his name, but it was Hampshire again who helped propel the score near the 200 mark. With the score on 149, Hampshire walked out at number eleven and blasted a quick-fire 32 alongside Andy Cox, enjoying a 47-run last wicket partnership which put Norton in fine shape.

This Saturday Norton play Stapleton at home (12.30 p.m. start), in what could be a pivotal match as the league hits the final straight. Norton remain second in the league behind Winterbourne, with the two teams, if they maintain their winning ways, on course for a final showdown in the last game of the season at Withies Lane.

Also on Saturday, the Second XI are away to West United CC and the Third XI are away to Oldfield Park. The Sunday XI remain at the top of the North Somerset Sunday Conference Division One and this weekend take on Hanham at Withies Lane, at 2 p.m.

Charlie Matthews