Bath CC 1st XI v Burbage & Easton Royal CC 1st XI
Bath’s 1st XI took their national club championship form into the league on Saturday by beating top of the table, Burbage & Easton Royal CC 1st XI – their first loss of the season.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Bath lost Jack Scrivens (8) in the third over, but then Ben Wells and Harry Dixon swiftly added 48 in just seven overs before ex Somerset cricketer, Peter Trego bowled Dixon for 18. Sam Young (7) soon followed to leave the home side 80-3, but Ben Church then built a 67 partnership with Ben Wells before he went for an excellent run-a-ball 72 and Church (36) soon followed to leave Bath 152-5 in the 34th over. Once again, this season, skipper Harry Ellison (37) stepped up with an important innings batting well with the lower order including Dollin Jansen (16) and Louis Brown (26) to take the home side up to a defendable 241-9 from their 50 overs.
Burbage’s reply started solidly as openers Will Tripcony and Peter Trego moved to 34 without loss, before Tripcony (17) was bowled by seamer, Spencer Gammon. Burbage continued to make steady progress, but the introduction of Jack Scrivens to the attack picked up the wicket of Crofton Keyes (22), and then number four, Herb Berridge (14) went to leave the away side 93-3 but Trego was still playing the anchor for his team. Things then took a turn for the better as Sam Young was introduced to the attack and he removed both skipper, David Cope (8), and Peter Trego (37), with the latter bowled with an excellent in swinging delivery. With Burbidge slipping to 116-5, the game was still in the balance, and although four of Burbidge’s middle and lower order batters passed 20 they all lost their wickets as Bath’s varied attack was highly effective at controlling the run rate and picking up regular wickets. In the end the away side fell 19 runs short of Bath’s total as they were bowled out for 222 in the penultimate over. The pick of the Bath bowlers included Spencer Gammon (3-33), Louis Brown (2-30), and Sam Young (2-19). This win has lifted Bath off the bottom of the table and with only 18 points between Bath and fourth placed Bedminster, there is still everything to play for.