Having won the toss, the hosts chose to bat first, with opener Lloyd Richardson taking no time to put the Rice brothers’ bowling to the sword as he raced to 40 in just the fifth over before picking out Paul Stubbs on the long-off boundary as Tobias Rice (1-26) eventually made the first breakthrough. Callum Watts joined his skipper, James Copeland, at the crease, and the pair continued to flay the Lodway bowling to all parts in a partnership of 93, with the next wicket not falling until the 14th over as Alfie Rendell dropped a caught and bowled chance from Copeland onto the non-striker’s stumps with Watts out of his crease to fall for 40 from 22 balls. In the next over, Ewan Mason struck twice in two balls, with James Bird (5) edging behind to Stephen Edmonds before Chris Willey was pinned in front first ball with the neutral umpire having no doubt to leave Claverham 146-4. Copeland and Olly Ralph pushed the score to 171 in the 18th, before Rendell (2-25) bowled both Copeland for 60 and Ralph for 7 in the same over, and two wickets fell in the following over as Mason had Sojib Ahmed (1) stumped down the leg side by Edmonds before clean bowling Matty Gregory (2) to leave him on 4-28 with a ball to go in his over. However, the exertion of dismissing Gregory caused a side strain, ending his chances of claiming a cup 5-for, as Ryan Rice was called upon to bowl the final ball. When the dust had settled after the final over, Claverham closed on 191/8 from their 20 overs.

In reply, Lodway started more sedately than Claverham had, reaching 27 in the 4th over before Adam Robson fell for 10 to a smart boundary catch from Ahmed off the bowling of Adam Hadfield. The second-wicket pairing of Caolan Pearce and Toby Rice managed to up the run-rate in their strong partnership, taking Lodway past 100 as Pearce reached a fine and well-received half-century, and the combination were only separated in the 13th over when Rice was caught off Bird for 37 from 27 with the score on 110. Captain Ben Stitfall joined Pearce at the crease, but, with more than 50 still required, Pearce finally fell, stumped by Copeland off Hadfield (2-29) for a 46-ball 73, which probably proved the end of Lodway’s challenge. Paul Stubbs came in and cleared the ropes, but fell for 9 trying to repeat the feat against Gregory (1-48), and, when Ryan Rice was caught behind by Copeland off Ahmed (1-36), with 18 required from the last 7 balls, the game was up, as Edmonds (2*) and Stitfall (26*) were unable to find the boundary in the final over as Lodway limped to 178/5.

With no cup run to distract them, full attention turns to Bristol 3rd XI in the league at Ham Green on Saturday