Lodway 1st’s promotion prospects were dealt a near-fatal blow at the Frank Taylor Memorial Ground on Saturday as they suffered a high-scoring three-wicket defeat against Keynsham.

Having elected to bat first, Lodway openers Adam Robson and Toby Rice made a steady start, before Charlie Husband accounted for last week’s centurion, Robson, for 11, and, when Ben Stitfall was bowled by David Burston (1-17) for 2, the visitors found themselves 27-2. Caolan Pearce was next to fall, bowled by Eddie Johnson (1-47) for 9, with new man Ewan Mason providing more solidity in the middle order to support Rice T, as the score progressed passed the 100 mark. When Mason was dismissed for 21 in the 27th over with the score at 119-4, the innings could have gone either way. Alfie Rendell joined Rice T, supporting the latter to bring up his half-century, and the two progressed to 163 in the 33rd over, before Rice was caught on the boundary for a fine 78. Stephen Edmonds was sent in at 7 with an expectation that he’d play in his inimitable belligerent style, and he and Rendell pummelled 69 from 39, with Rendell bringing up his impressive half-century and ending up unbeaten on 65 (43); Edmonds falling to Husband (2-44) in the last over for 31 (20), as Lodway closed on 237-6 ahead of a fine, catered tea.

Once the pasta bake had settled, Lodway opening bowlers were quickly into their stride, with Jack Roberts (0-21) giving little away at the Park Home End, and Ryan Rice striking in each of his first three overs to leave Keynsham 12-3. Eddie Johnson and Simon Knowles began to restore some respectability, reaching 50 without further loss, but Knowles then hit Stitfall straight to Tank Rice at midwicket a ball after Edmonds had missed a straight-forward stumping chance. Matt Curzon was the next home batsman to join Johnson, with Johnson at this point deciding he needed to lead the chase, with Curzon contributing just 31 of the fifth wicket stand of 105, having been lucky to survive a run out appeal before being bowled by Matty W Crutchley. Ollie Hemmings continued the momentum as Johnson progressed serenely towards his century, as the pair combined for 57 before MW Crutchley (2-44) bowled Henmings with 25 still required. Although Tank Rice returned to dismiss number 8 Jack Tweedie to end with figures of 4-35, there was no stopping Johnson, who had brought up his hundred by this point, and who ended up carving the winning 2 with 7 balls to spare, ending on a magnificent 119 from 110 balls to exorcise the demons of last season’s 1-run defeat.

Next week, Lodway host Bath 3rds, hoping to derail the big club’s own promotion ambitions