Timsbury continued their remarkable turnaround in form with their fifth successive victory in the Bristol and District League Division 1. A comprehensive 52-run win at home to Keynsham 2nd XI saw them move out of the bottom two for almost the first time this campaign and with one game to go survival is now in their own hands.
Once again the foundation of the win was a dominant opening partnership between Mark Sage and Gary Pearcy. Sage looked to be batting on a different wicket to everyone else on show and it was a surprise when he holed out on the boundary for 57 after he and Pearcy, who also played some delightful shots, had put on 86 in rapid time. Thereafter no batsman found it easy to push the score on but an undefeated 36 from Kev Sibley enabled the home side to reach a challenging 182-8. Simon Knowles (2-18 in eight overs) and Sam Parsons (1-15 in six overs) both bowled tight spells for Keynsham.
The visitors, who have had a difficult season and are at the foot of the table, rarely looked like getting on top of the Timsbury attack. Opening bowler Freddie Hosford set the pattern conceding just a run per over in his eight overs and despite a fighting 32 from Ian Fiebelkorn Timsbury maintained a tight grip on the match. Martin Richards (3-20) and Jon Strand (2-35) kept up the pressure and the only disappointment for the home side was that they failed to take the final wicket with Keynsham finishing on 130-9.
It has not been the easiest of seasons for Timsbury’s second eleven who were well beaten by 10 wickets away to Stapleton’s second eleven in their penultimate game in the Bristol and District League Division 6. Batting first the early signs were promising with George Webb making 33 and Dan Hill 29 but then the remainder of the batsmen perished at the hands of spinner Mahmood who took 6-17 in a tantalising spell. Stapleton took no time reaching the finishing line with Mohammed (51 not out) and Millard (26 not out) reaching their target in just over nine overs.
It was an historic day for Timsbury’s third eleven who ended their home campaign with an 130-run win against Whitchurch’s third eleven in the Bristol and District League Division Nine East. Skipper Chris Rawlings and Steve Ford forged a record breaking opening partnership of 196 in their total of 248-5 after being put into bat. Ultimately there was hint of disappointment for Ford who was out just four runs short of a maiden century while Rawlings was dismissed for 85. Not to be satisfied with that Ford then took 4-22 and with two wickets each for Matt Ball and Aaron Hancock Whitchurch were dismissed for 118.
Malcolm Tucker