Midsomer Norton returned to winning ways with a comfortable victory over Frenchay, based on a solid batting performance by the middle order and an excellent individual effort from Chris Hampshire with the ball.

Choosing to bat on a good-looking wicket, Norton got off to a poor start with Pang and Clifton both falling early with the score on ten. Lear and Cox put together a small recovery, but both fell in quick succession, leaving the score at 47–4 and the innings in trouble. This brought the Skipper to the crease and he and Andy Cox began to turn the tide. With some aggressive stroke play, Cox found the boundary with ease before picking out the fielder when looking well set.

Potter and James Harvey, making a return to form with the bat, played sensibly, picking up singles at will and punishing the loose balls. Potter played a great Captain's innings before departing for a well-crafted 76 with Norton in sight of maximum batting points. The tail managed to reach the 225 required before finishing on 228 all out in the last over. Isitt was the stand out bowler for Frenchay, returning figures of 5–37 from his ten overs. 

Following an improved batting display, Norton began bowling with confidence. Hampshire's first over was somewhat erratic, but he managed to find his line and accounted for Donaldson with an excellent delivery. Turner kept it tight at the other end as Hampshire found impressive movement to rip through the Frenchay order. He accounted for six batsmen in total, with James Harvey pouching five behind the stumps as the edge of the bat was found with constant regularity. Turner bagged a deserved wicket and, with the win in sight, Andy Cox mopped up the tail in quick time to grab figures of 3–15 and leave Frenchay 82 all out. Hampshire finished an outstanding performance with 6–28, a much deserved return, giving Norton a very convincing win by 146 runs and a real confidence boost ahead of a big clash with table-topping Clevedon in their next match.

So, while Norton's First XI visit Clevedon on Saturday, Marlborough are the visitors for the Second XI fixture at Withies Lane. Wrington CC provide the opposition for the Third XI at Somervale. On Sunday, the Firsts travel to Corsham.

Midsomer Norton CC 3rd XI (137–7)

Stratton on the Fosse CC 2nd XI (107)

Midsomer Norton CC 3rd XI won by 30 runs

The first day of June brought Stratton to the Somervale Oval on a warm and sunny day. Stratton won the toss and put Norton in to bat. Evergreen Martin Purchase (22) and Steve Green (27) put on a handy 63 for the first wicket against tight Stratton bowling from Easterling and Christer. The openers fell within six balls of each other and then Chris Howard (32) and Ollie Mowatt (21) added 51. John Burgess bowled eight good overs from the club end, taking 4–25, which included a brilliant one-handed catch by Dave Travis. The innings ended at 137–7, which on a low, slow track was about par.

After tea, Stratton started steadily, but lost their first wicket at 23 after nine tight overs from Niel Brooks and Billy Barter. John Anderson (27) and John Cox (22) took the score on to 55 and then Rich Jordan (3–18) removed both. The innings continued steadily and at 74–5, the game was in the balance. Niel Brooks came back into the attack and, following a sharp run out from Reuben Hobbs, Brooks picked up 4–1 in eleven balls to finish the innings at 107.