Methodists 106-1 v Chilcompton Sports 2nds 105-8

The Methodists managed to dodge the worst of the unseasonable weather, completing a comfortable win in a local derby with Chilcompton Sports 2nds at a wet and windy Norton Hill.

The home side asked Chilcompton to bat first, given the unpredictable climate, and the sides were on and off like a celebrity romance as regular showers strafed the ground for the first couple of hours.

The conditions were difficult for both batters and bowlers, but it was the latter who were on top for most of the visitors’ innings.

Paul Evans’ brilliant spell of 3-9 in five overs put the home team on top, but a fifty-run stand between Kyle Gloudemans and skipper Rob Bath made sure Chilcompton stayed in the contest. James Sackett eventually managed to run out Gloudemans (11) in the twenty third over, but Bath (52*) remained unbeaten ‘til the end.

Wickets for Simon Howlett (2-23), son Alex (1-6) and Sackett (1-11) meant further partnerships were brief, but the visitors did get to three figures towards the end of their rain-reduced innings.

After a brief tea-break, Methodists’ captain Alex Nash again led from the front, anxious to quickly wrap up the win in case the rain returned for good. He peppered the boundary from the start - his fifty coming up in just the sixth over - and added a rapid fifty five with Sackett for the first wicket, before the accurate Sean White (1-19) trapped the latter lbw.

It then only took another twenty eight deliveries for Nash (90*) and Simon Howlett (10*) to knock off the required fifty one runs, the hosts coasting to a nine-wicket victory in only the twelfth over.

Daniel Shearn