Timsbury began the new cricket season with an encouraging 26-run home win against Golden Hill 2nd XI in the Bristol and District League Division 1. After the prolonged rainfall of recent weeks neither side found batting easy on a predictably slow wicket but in the end it was a comfortable win for the home side.
Batting first Timsbury struggled to 78- 6 with only the ever reliable Mark Sage coping with the conditions to graft a workmanlike 31. The game then changed significantly when home skipper Jesse Bishop was joined by teenage wicketkeeper Cory Versfeld. Playing positive cricket they embarked on a match winning partnership of 71 with Versfeld contributing 36 and Bishop 23. The home side eventually totalled 159-9 which always looked a more than useful effort. For the visitors Tom Field took 4-27 and Ethan Moss 3-33.
Golden Hill opener Romesh Tenuwera held the visitors’ innings together with a fine knock of 51 but he lacked support and when he was eighth man out with the score on 91 the game was as good as over. The main damage was done by home spinner Jon Strand who took four wickets in one over as the visitors collapsed from 49-3 to 49-7.
Tom Parfitt bowled a fine spell of 2-12 in his eight overs , debutant Lew Redwood collected 2-35 including the wicket of the dangerous Tenuwera and 15-year-old Liam Hosford marked his first game for the first eleven with a tidy spell of 1-18.
Timsbury’s second eleven found it tough going in their away fixture with Abbots Leigh in the Bristol and District League Division 5 and were beaten by nine wickets. After batting first Timsbury made a good start and reached 111-2 thanks to the efforts of Dan Hill (48) and Ollie Davis (39). They then proceeded to lose their last eight wickets for a mere 31 runs with Syed Ali Eazaz taking 5-14. Scott Walker (62 not out) and Jonny Weber (38 not out) eased the home side to victory with Jake Alexander the only Timsbury bowler to take a wicket.
Malcolm Tucker