Timsbury’s plight at the foot of the Bristol and District League Division 1 table worsened even more after they were convincingly beaten by eight wickets at home to Cleeve. The home side’s total of 167 was made to look vastly under par with Cleeve’s impressive overseas acquisition Motlhanka leading the way with an unbeaten 67.
After the early loss of Mark Sage and Lew Redwood, Gary Pearcy looked in good nick before being dismissed for 20 at which point Kev Sibley and Greg Passingham came together to produce a fluent fourth wicket stand of 64. The home side reached 127-3 before Sibley was out for 40 and although Passingham went on to a valuable 50, his best score of the season, wickets started to fall at regular intervals at the other end with the last seven wickets going down for just 40 runs. For Cleeve Elswood took 3-28 and Spiers 3-11.
Timsbury were involved in a close finish when the two sides met earlier in the season but this return fixture had a look of inevitability about it long before the end. Freddie Hosford (2-26) took the two wickets to fall but Motlhanka and his partner Lewin (43 not out) steered their side to victory with plenty to spare.
Timsbury’s second eleven put up a fine show away to second in the table Bristol New Eleven in the Bristol and District League Division 6 before eventually going down by two wickets in a high-scoring encounter. After being asked to bat first the visitors made an excellent start with openers Cory Versfeld and Jake Brooks putting on 122 for the first wicket. Versfeld was to fall just 10 runs short of a well deserved century but with Brooks contributing 47 and Dan Hill unbeaten on 53 Timsbury finished on a challenging 222-2. The home side raced away in response and reached 117-1 before Timsbury started to fight back. Oscar Humphries took 3-52 and Matt Ball 2-44 but steady batting down the order saw the Bristol side cross the winning line with over five overs to spare.
Malcolm Tucker