Bath CC 1st XI v Penzance CC 1st XI – ECB National Club Championship – Round 2

Bath CC 1st XI’s long trip to Cornwall to face Penzance CC 1st XI in round 2 of the ECB National Club Championship proved worth it as they chased down a huge 302 to progress to the next round.

After winning the toss and choosing to field, Bath seamer, Spencer Gammon (3-41) picked up two relatively quick wickets to leave the home side 45-2. This soon became 64-3, as Matthew Cadywould had Charlie Sharland (8) caught behind. Bath were on top at this stage, but Basil Akram and Grant Thomson then put on 64 before Akram went for 57. Thomson then shifted into top gear as he smashed an undefeated 110 off just 73 balls ably supported by Sammy King (42) and Grant Stone (24) to power Penzance up to a formidable total 302-7 from their 40 overs.

Bath’s reply started positively until they lost opener Harry Dixon (21) with 32 on the board. Alex Haleem (0) was then trapped in front by Benjamin Fletcher to leave the away side 33-2 with a lot of work to do. However, opener Jack Scrivens and Sam Young then built a fine partnership of 105 before Scrivens went for a run a ball 61. Young was then joined by skipper, Harry Ellison (18) who soon went after a flurry of boundaries to leave Bath 158-4. This brought allrounder, Max O’Farrell to the crease and on his official 1st XI cup debut, he put on a match winning partnership of 107 with Young before going for an impressive 52 off just 39 balls with only four runs required. This left Young, who amassed 111 not out, to hit the winning boundary with just five balls remaining to win by four wickets.