Bath CC 1st XI v Midsomer Norton CC 1st XI

Bath CC 1st XI played hosts on Saturday to Midsomer Norton CC 1st XI, who were promoted to Prem One this year.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Bath lost the dangerous Ben Wells (5) early, but Jack Scrivens and Harry Dixon then took the home sides score past 50 before Scrivens went for a watchful 25. This brought the in form Sam Young to the crease to join Dixon and an important partnership of 69 soon blossomed, before Dixon went for 46 from 54 balls to leave Bath 128-3, which soon became 136-4 as Ben Church (4) became Callum Harvey’s second victim (3-28). Bath’s skipper, Harry Ellison then joined Young and added 40 across the next ten overs before Young’s wicket was also snapped up by Callum Harvey for a run-a-ball 63. Ellison and James Arney (28) then added another 47 before Arney departed, but Ellison continued to bat positively with Spencer Gammon (17*), smashing 81 from just 67 balls, which included ten boundaries, of which four were sixes, before he was out with one ball to be bowled. Although Bath may have posted a higher score had they not lost important wickets at crucial times, they posted a defendable 294-7.

Midsomer Norton got off to a very positive start hitting 45 off the first 7 overs before Jack Penn (27) was caught off the bowling of George Axtell (2-44). Although Gabe Gallman-Findlay (22) shortly departed to leave Norton 85-2, there was then two important partnerships for the away team which strangled Bath’s chances of a win. First, Ben Privett (88) and Finn Kelsey (72*) added 79 for the third wicket, and then Kelsey and skipper, Callum Harvey (73) added a further 125 to take the away side close to victory when Harvey went with the score on 289-4. Shortly after Norton hit the winning runs with 10 balls to spare to record a six wicket win. As a result Midsomer Norton move into second place in the league just behind the unbeaten Burbage & Easton Royal CC, and Bath slip to seventh in the league.