Timsbury wasted a great opportunity of making further progress in the Bristol and District League Senior Division with a poor batting display losing by 42 runs away to bottom club Shirehampton. The bowlers had done their part earlier taking the last nine home wickets for a mere 50 runs but in the end it was to no avail.
After being put into bat Shirehampton got off to the fastest of starts with the aggressive Adam Geddes taking the attack to the opposition. The visitors were not helped by a shoddy fielding display as the home side reached an imposing 82-1. When Geddes was eventually out he had contributed 77 out of a total of 95-3 but from then on it was a story of bowler domination. Opening bowlers Kev Sibley (3-29) and Oli Hulbert (3-35) were the main beneficiaries with two wickets each for Sam Hoddinott and Graeme Webb.
The Timsbury innings never got going with only Gary Pearcy (18) , Hoddinott (18) and Webb (13) reaching double figures. A late partnership between Webb and Hoddinott gave some hope after Timsbury had collapsed to 56-8 but both players departed within a run of each other as the visitors were dismissed for 90. Tom Rogers (4-26) and Lewis Palmer (3-19) led the way for the home side.
Timsbury 2nd XI top the Bristol and District League Division 6 after another impressive batting display in their seven-wicket win at home to Bristol Pakistanis 2nd XI. There were two wickets each for Zak Cox, Steve Clothier and Dan Hill as the visitors finished their 40 overs on 188-8. The in-form Hill then got the reply off to a rousing start with a typically aggressive knock of 60 and Sol Thompson (53) and James Rawlings (49 not out) continued the good work to see the league leaders home with plenty to spare.
Malcolm Tucker