After a desperately disappointing first half of the season when they failed to win a single game in the Bristol and District League Division 1 Timsbury have turned things around in a big way. Their convincing seven-wicket win at home to Bristol’s third eleven was their third successive victory.
For much of the season the home side have resided at the foot of the table but their recent hot run has seen them move above Keynsham 2nd XI. They have presented themselves with a realistic chance of avoiding relegation with three crucial games to come.
After electing to bat first Bristol lost Adam Lee to the second ball of their innings and they never really recovered. In no time they had slumped to 22-5 and 56-8 and were eventually dismissed for a meagre 88. Timsbury’s opening attack of Kev Sibley (2-14) and Freddie Hosford (3-14) created the early mayhem and with Martin Richards later taking 3-25 there was no respite for the visitors.
One of the key elements of Timsbury’s revival has been the potency of their openers Mark Sage and Gary Pearcy and for the third week in a row they gave their side an excellent start. Attacking from the outset they put on a rapid 72 and the only surprise was that they didn’t finish the job off. Pearcy went for a fluent 30 to be followed by Sage who again looked in top form as he reached 38, but it was left to Lew Redwood and Jon Strand to complete an 18-point victory in just over 17 overs.
Timsbury’s second eleven batted well in their away game with Abbots Leigh in the Bristol and District League Division 6 but in the end their total of 196-8 was comfortably passed by their hosts and they were beaten by eight wickets. There were a number of notable contributions from the Timsbury side with Yosef Parvez(33), Sam Sparks (32 not out) and Josh Tucker (31) leading the way. The home side’s reply was dominated by Behroz Khan who finished unbeaten on 126 in Abbot Leigh’s total of 200-2.
Malcolm Tucker