Asked to bat first on another slow wicket, the Methodists set a good platform early on, with the promoted pair of Josh Potter (27) and Phil Mortimer (11) putting on 45 for the second wicket.

When both fell with the score on 52, it was up to the in-form Alex Nash and Stuart Green to maintain the hosts’ momentum. Nash was carrying an injury and dealt in either sixes or singles, his 45 containing five maximums and eventually ending in a skyed catch, gratefully accepted by a Knowle fielder. Green, having played second-fiddle in that 62-run stand, then took the initiative in another partnership with ’keeper Dave Sackett, scoring the bulk of the 50 runs the pair amassed in their eleven overs together. Matt Wherlock (0-14) was the pick of Knowle’s bowling and, although he remained wicketless, kept the Methodists’ scoring in check, ensuring that the home side eventually came up just short of the magic 200 – Green finishing unbeaten on an excellent 63, having added another useful 27 runs with Gareth Norman towards the innings’ end. Credit should also go to Knowle’s youthful attack who persevered despite some big hitting throughout, and saw to it that the Methodists did not compile an unassailable total.

After tea, the visitors got off to a shaky start as they lost a wicket in the second over. However this was just a blip, as opener Mike Cortiour was then joined by Wherlock (24), and the pair added 90 runs in the course of the next twenty overs. Another brilliant Nash run-out finally ended their stand, but Courtiour – now assisted by Jack Millard (48*) - kept up the pressure on the Methodists’ bowling as Knowle continued to chase down their target. It was the experience of Mortimer (2-34) that eventually got the crucial breakthrough, as Courtiour – by now on 86 – was safely caught by James Sackett to give the Methodists a glimmer of hope. Three more wickets fell towards the end, but none of them were Millard’s – his assured batting guiding the visitors to within six of the win with only the final over to be bowled. A nail-biting last few balls then saw the visitors scramble to victory on the penultimate delivery, just snatching what earlier seemed to be a nailed on twenty points, in an exciting finish to an evenly-matched contest.