With a reduced bowling attack at Lodway’s disposal, stand-in stand-in skipper Tobias Rice elected to field first, and his concerns about the quality of his bowling resources appeared to be well-founded as he and his brother Ryan conceded 42 from the first six overs, even if they picked up a wicket a piece as Harry Bird edged Ryan to Adam Robson in the gully from outside leg stump and Suyash Sachan drove Tobias (1-35) to Tom Marsh at extra cover. When, soon after, Stephen Edmonds knocked down an edge from Adam Lee off Tobias that was heading straight into the safe hands of stand-in captain Ben Stitfall, Lodway started to worry it was to be one of those days, but Ryan (2-34) clean-bowled Lee in the next over, as the run rate started to fall. Remaining opener Alan Hunt and number 5 Archie Birkbeck found run-scoring harder, with Hunt also surviving a confident caught-behind appeal off Tobias Rice, but the 4th wicket did not fall until the 25th over when 1st XI debutant Joe O’Neill (1-23) was introduced into the attack and bowled Hunt (33) with his first ball to leave Bristol 3rds 94-4. Visiting skipper Chris White tried to accelerate the run rate as Birkbeck slowly accumulated at the other end, and the pair combined in a 49-run 5th wicket partnership that only ended when Rendell (1-20) breached White’s defences with one that kept low to send him back to the sun-drenched pavilion for 27. Rendelll was unfortunate to not claim two in two, when Paul Bird under-edged his first ball to Edmonds standing up, but the loud noise was only audible to the Lodway players and spectators, and no other wickets fell for the rest of the innings, although two injuries were to have a bearing on the second innings, as Bird damaged his hamstring during his reprieved innings, rendering him unable to bowl, and Paul Stubbs twisted his ankle dropping an easy catch on the last ball of the innings, rendering him unable to bat, as Bristol closed on 169-5.

After yet another fine Lodway tea, opening batsmen Adam Robson and Tobias Rice raced towards the target against a limited Bristol bowling attack, reaching 75 in just the 10th over before Robson found midwicket off Lee’s bowling to fall for 30, and the second wicket pairing of Stitfall and Rice scored 33 in the next 9 overs before Stitfall gave umpire Edmonds no option but to send him on his way as he was plumb LBW to Rich Hobbs (1-18) for 16. With Stubbs injured, Ryan Rice was promoted to 4, but could not make the most of his chance, as he fell for a duck off Lee (2-31) as drinks were taken. Tom Marsh was in no mood to delay the victory after drinks, striking two 4s and a maximum in his 11-ball 15, but, when he was bowled by Suyash Sachan (1-24) and when Tobias let a ball from Nareshkumar Padmanaban (1-11) roll onto his stumps shortly after reaching his half-century to fall for 56 with 11 still needed, nerves started to show in the Lodway changing room. However, with Ewan Mason (17*) at the crease in uncharacteristic boundary-hitting mode, the home victory soon came, and it was left to Rendell (7*) to seal the deal with a six onto a parked car over the midwicket boundary in the 26th over.

Lodway are now 18 points clear of second-placed Lansdown, whom they travel to at the weekend to cement their title challenge.