Lodway 1st XI made it 4 defeats in a row on Saturday as they lost a close encounter to Timsbury by 2 wickets at a parched Ham Green.
Having elected to bat first, Lodway got off to the best start imaginable, with Adam Robson hitting the first ball of the match for 6, but the run rate quickly decelerated as Timsbury’s battery of stump-to-stump off spinners found the perfect line and length for the pitch to restrict the scoring. Freddie Hosford (2-30) was the first to strike, having Robson caught and bowled for 18, and Ben Stitfall fell in the same fashion in the same over for another duck. Fresh from his mammoth century for the 2nd XI the week before, Joe Rowsell strode to the crease for his first appearance in the firsts this season, and put on 28 with Tobias Rice before being the third caught and bowled to Sam Hoddinott (1-18) for 17. Last-minute call-up Ewan Mason was the next man in, and he and Rice T put on 39 before Mason hit a shot off Jon Strand (1-29) that had the crowd in raptures until it was caught at deep midwicket to send Mason back for 15. University chums Rice and the returning Alex Tierney combined for the highest partnership of the innings, with Rice bringing up his half-century on the last day of his 21st year on earth before being adjudged LBW by the league umpire for a patient 63 to leave Lodway 128-5. The lower order supported Tierney to post a competitive total, with Greg Passingham’s 4-36 not allowing Lodway to cut loose, and, with Tierney falling for 34 in the final over, Lodway closed on 177-8.

After a fine birthday tea, in spite of the lack of jelly and ice-cream, in reply, Lodway’s bowlers decided to disregard to stump-to-stump tactics that had served Timsbury so well, allowing openers Mark Sage and Gary Pearcy to put on 90 untroubled runs in the first 16 overs, before Tierney had Pearcy stumped by Stephen Edmonds for 31. This first wicket led to a spectacular collapse that perhaps showed why Timsbury found themselves bottom of Division 1, as 90-0 became 129-7 in the face of disciplined bowling from Stitfall (2-34) and Tierney, who completed his fine all-round performance by claiming 5-28. However, with 50-something Sage still there on 76*, the game was still in the balance, and number 9 Cory Versfeld finally played the supporting role Timsbury were looking for, striking a 15-ball 18 before being bowled by Tobias Rice (1-41) with 21 still needed. With only 2 wickets remaining, Sage decided the game was now his to win, striking two maximums in the next two balls, before number 10 Hoddinott struck the winning runs through point to leave Sage undefeated on a chanceless 98.

Lodway now hope for a change of fortunes as they welcome Shirehampton to Ham Green on Saturday