Match reports 2nd/3rd Sept
10 September 2023
Bath CC 1st XI v Taunton Deane CC 1st XI
Bath CC 1st XI became Premier One Champions after a 111 run victory over Taunton Deane CC 1st XI on Saturday. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Bath’s openers Jack Scrivens and Jason Marshall got the home side off to the perfect start by amassing a 152 run opening partnership before Marshall went for 57. Campbell McKegg (25) then joined Scrivens to put on a quick 50 run partnership, but then Bath lost Sam Young and skipper, Harry Ellison in quick succession. However, the middle order responded well with Paul Muchell (27) and James Arney (20) batting well with Scrivens before he became the sixth wicket to fall for an excellent 159. Bath continued to bat positively to take their score up to an imposing 317-8 from their 50 overs.
With Taunton Deane losing two early wickets to leave them 26-2, the away side struggled to get any momentum into their innings as Bath bowled tightly. Although there were a lot of starts from the Taunton Deane batters, nobody went on to post a score above 33, as George Axtell bowled an excellent spell of 3-21 to keep the pressure on. The Bath spinners then came on to pick up five wickets, with Harry Allen picking up the last wicket to finish with match figures of 4-57, as the home side won by 111 runs. With second place Potterne CC also winning, Bath won the league by just 12 points.
Bath CC 2nd XI v Bristol CC 2nd XI
Bath CC 2nd XI travelled to face Bristol CC 2nd XI in their last match of the season. Bath won the toss and elected to bat, but Bath’s batters struggled from the start as they slipped to 38-3, which soon became 59-4 when Kester Moseley (17) was bowled. A 42 run partnership between Charlie Rustell and Hamish Bell started to look good, but then both batters went in quick succession to leave the away side on 109-6. Bath’s skipper, Will Arney then batted sensibly with the lower order to score a vitally important 63 to help his side post a defendable 201, as they were bowled out in the 48th over.
The Bristol reply then got off to a fine start, with the openers putting on 62 for the first wicket before Shazil Mustafa (29) became Dave Ford’s first wicket. Fellow opener, Ash Lakhani was then joined by Rupert Young, and these two batters almost posted a century stand before Young went for 49. Despite then losing their skipper for a first ball duck, George Herring (15*) and Lakhani (77*) took the home side to victory with six overs still left in their innings. Pick of the Bath bowlers was Dave Ford, with 3-50.
Bath CC 3rd XI v Hambrook CC 1st XI
Bath 3rd XI lost to Bristol side, Hambrook 1st XI on Saturday. Hambrook won the toss and elected to bat first, but despite losing opener, Calum Martin for a duck, the home side rebuilt well through Cameron Perry (45) and Jay Wittram (40), but when these two were out, the Bath bowlers kept the pressure on well, as regular wickets were picked up. When Kieran Smith was run out off the last ball, Hambrook had posted a chaseable, 208 from their 40 overs.
Bath’s reply never really got going, as Tim Scott (33) was the only batter to post a significant score. Hambrook seamer, Mitch Vardy ripped through the Bath middle order, picking up three quick wickets, and as more wickets fell in quick succession, the away side were bowled out for 108 in the 31st over to lose by 100 runs.
Bath CC 4th XI v Hanham CC 2nd XI
After a number of close matches across the season, Bath’s 4th XI at last got over the line to win their first match of the season against Hanham CC 2nd XI at the Brownsword Ground. Hanham won the toss and elected to field, and Bath then built several solid partnerships to take their score up to 93-4, but then young all-rounder, Charlie Pritchard showed what a talented cricketer he is, by smashing 98 from just 77 balls with five sixes. Further contributions from the middle order meant that the home side posted a defendable 224-8 from their 40 overs.
The Hanham openers started well, putting on 58 for the first wicket before the introduction of young spinner, Tym Ifans proved crucial, as Will Paget was bowled for 33. Then an excellent direct hit from Allan Alex removed number three, Mark Stone. Ifans (2-51) continued to bowl well with Chandana Kariyapperumage (1-20) and at the halfway point, Hanham still needed over 130 from the last 20 overs with seven wickets in hand. But as a rapid 53 from just 23 balls from George Stone looked like the match was slipping away from Bath, the introduction of Charlie Pritchard’s wrist spin proved a game changer, as he picked up 6-26 bowling Hanham’s last batter with just 9 runs needed. Although Bath’s 4th XI will be relegated, they have proved in many matches this season that they have remained competitive despite fielding a very young side.
Bath 1st XI v Bridgwater 2nd XI – Somerset Cricket Foundation Major Cup Final
Bath 1st XI won the Somerset Cricket Foundation Major Cup 2023 on Sunday, beating Bridgwater 2nd XI by six runs in the final at the County Ground in Taunton. Bath were asked to bat and lost in-form opener, Jack Scrivens before a run had been scored, but fellow-opener Jason Marshall steadied the ship as wickets fell around him. Marshall was eventually out for 41, but he had marshalled Bath’s innings up to 76-4, which soon became 78-5, when Harry Ellison was trapped in front for 21. Wickets continued to fall, but an important 18 not out from Will Arney helped take the Bath score up to 114 as they were bowled out with just two balls to be bowled.
Bridgwater’s reply got off to a similar start to Bath’s, as they lost opener Scott Clapp early, when there was only six on the board. Harminder Singh (22) then briefly threatened, but when he was caught behind off the excellent off spin bowling of Will Arney, Bridgwater had slipped to 58-5 with lots of work still to do. Despite some good contributions from the middle order, Bath’s bowlers stayed on top in a very close encounter to run out worthy winners by six runs. Bath’s Will Arney was Man of the Match, for his 18* and for his 1-9 off four very tight overs.
