Lodway 1sts inflicted a crushing defeat on already-relegated Clevedon 2nds at Dial Hill on Saturday, returning home with maximum points from a 140-run victory.
Having been surprisingly inserted on another hot day on another dry surface, Lodway’s regular opening pair progressed serenely to 71 without loss before Adam Robson found mid-off from the bowling of Josh Bray for 25. 71-0 became 74-3, as first Tobias Rice failed to clear long-on from leg-spinner Charlie Lamprell’s second ball to fall for 32, and then number 4 Caolan Pearce was cleaned bowled by Bray for 1. Ben Stitfall and Ewan Mason steadied the ship with a partnership of 36 before Mason fell to Kian Ware (1-28), and, when Lamprell (2-39) bowled Paul Stubbs around his legs for 12 at the end of the 26th over, Lodway were 133-5 and in danger of squandering their good start. However, in-form man Alfie Rendell joined Stitfall and proceeded to frustrate Clevedon with firm ball-striking and quick scampering, putting on 97 in less than 12 overs to secure maximum batting points and post an imposing total. Rendell was to fall in the 38th over for 34, and next man Stephen Edmonds’ luck of recent weeks finally ran out as he was dismissed to a blinding, diving catch on the point boundary for just 1. Although Stitfall managed to scoop a ball into his face in the penultimate over, he soldiered on to the end of the innings, finishing unbeaten on an 83-ball 91 as Lodway took tea on 246-7.
With brothers Rice again sharing the new ball, it was Ryan who took the early spoils in the sibling rivalry, dismissing home skipper Jack Davey for 22, before striking twice in two balls at the end of his next over, although his hat-trick ball posed more danger to the close-in fielders than the new batsman as his spell finished on 3-27. Brother Tobias (1-16 from 8) eventually earned a well-deserved wicket of his own, leaving Clevedon 47-4, and little respite was to come from the change bowling of Stitfall (1-19) and Joe Crutchley, with the latter clean bowling four of the middle and lower order to blow a hole in Clevedon’s run chase. Although Kian Ware put up some limited resistance, he finally fell to a Robson catch off Crutchley J for 23 to end the innings on 106 as the visiting skipper ended with figures of 5-24.
Lodway finish the season hosting Lansdown, with a final day victory likely to secure a second consecutive third-place finish in Division 1