Downend & DLS defeat Bedminster

Captain Carter won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Downend to bat as there was plenty of rain in the air. Downends openers started with a bit of caution until Kiwi Sillars had Patrick Grieshaber caught by Garreth Elphick for a duck on the final ball of the 6th over. Jack Penn joined Brandon Gilmour at the crease and following two consecutive boundaries the players left the field for half an hour after 7.3 overs. With the golden half hour used up Downend knew that any further stoppage would result in overs being lost and raced to 64 by the 10th over before Sai Kumani caught Gilmour (55), again from Sillars on the cover point boundary. Gloucestershires Ian Cockbain joined Penn (31) and continued to find the short boundaries, and maintain the run rate, before Carter bowled the later and Nathan Roberts (1) dismissed the same way in the next over by the left arm spin of Bedminster debutant Tom Smith (9-0-30-1).

With the rain falling the umpires looked at the skies and decided to say out as the outlook on the horizon looked promising. Cockbain showed his county team mate Smith respect, but it was the opposite for George Drissell who went for 18 in his second over including two sixes, one straight into the front garden by the sight screen bringing up Cockbains half century off 51 balls. Left hander Daniel Lezar supported his partner well and the short boundaries were continually breached. Cockbain completed his century (103) in quick fashion, 72 balls, but George Russell got the key wicket as Sillars caught the danger man on the deep mid off boundary, however the score had leap frogged to now 239 - 4 with only 5 overs remaining. Callum Loud was sent out with clear instructions to swing the willow and after Lezar (56) was bowled by Carter, he duly fulfilled his role with five sixes including one onto the church roof, before Kumani caught Loud (34 off 12 balls) with two balls to go. Sillars (9-2-51-4) then bowled his countryman Oliver Reynolds-Pringle (3) on the final ball and picked up another bowling point for Bedminster as Downend amassed 301-8 off 43 overs.

When the players went into tea the light rain returned and it was as Bedminster went out to bat the intensity of the downpour forced the covers on and a delayed restart. Due to the golden half hour play could continue until 8pm so no further overs were lost. Bedminster openers Elphick and Kumani took no prisioners with 29 off the first two overs, using the pace of Callum Gregory and Reynolds-Pringle to their advantage finding boundaries with ease and were 30 runs above the DLS Par score until Elphick (20) was bowled by Gregory, reducing the advantage to only 12 runs. Kumani's powerful 44 (off 18 balls) was curtailed by Phil Jackson catching him just inside the boundary, and despite Bedminster being 70-2 meant they now were behind the DLS par score of 75 after 7 overs. Rob Cunliffe had his stump removed by Gregory for nought. Drissell (14) and Smith (6), who was dropped in the slips by Cockbain, tried to stabilise the innings until Matthew Jackson's double wicket maiden seen a top edge from Drissell fall into the hands of Loud and Smith bowled, and Bedminster were now 94-5 in 16 overs. Sillars failed to time a shot pulling one straight to Nathan Roberts off Phil Jackson for 8, and just shy of 100 runs behind the DLS par score.

Ironically the sun started to shine, just as 20 overs had passed meaning there would be a result in this rain affected match. For the second week running Tom Pugsley dug in but was starting to run out of partners when George Russell (6) failed to get the ball over the tall Kiwi Reynolds-Pringle at mid off. Number nine Max Tryfonos, who was hoping not to bat until much later in the innings, had English GCSE revision interrupted as he came to the crease to join Pugsley in only the 22nd over. Pugsley (25) was caught by Gilmour and the very next ball Sam Knapp was left confused as to how he was dismissed for a Golden Duck by Matthew Jackson (9-3-26-5), after the game the umpires confirmed he was caught by Keeper Grieshaber standing up and not stumped. Bedminster were now 149-9 and seeking additional batting points. Gregory (6-0-34-4) returned and Grieshaber bagged his second victim, Carter (0) leaving Bedminster 165 all out, Max Tryfonos undefeated on 13.

Thanks go to Matthew Lee for operating the DLS scoreboard and the supporters who battled the conditions, including those from both sides whose games were either abandoned or quickly over due to the dismal conditions.

Bedminster will be looking for their first win of the season, at home next week against Bridgwater, who themselves are just above the relegation zone, with Frocester last years runners up being the sandwich filling between the two sides, which reflects just how tough life in WEPL Prem 1 is.