Timberscombe Cricket Club

The winner takes all, top versus second clash on Bank Holiday Monday 
ended as a one sided affair as Timberscombe confirmed top spot.

Stowey chose to bat on a good looking wicket but, after an initial 
flurry of runs, found the going tough. Early tight spells from Gary 
Archer and Rob Golding had the home side pinned down. Scoring shots 
were few and far between. The introduction of Steve Archer and Kev 
Godfrey continued the tight rein. Wickets fell at regular intervals as 
batsmen became increasingly frustrated. Steve archer took full 
advantage ending with figures of 7 for 24 as the innings was ended on 
99.

Early quick runs in reply put the home side under pressure. Despite 
the loss of two wickets in the forties, Paul Sparks 24 (no) and Kev 
Godfrey 28 (no) were able to see the visitors home comfortably in the 
24th over. Phil Rich took the two wickets to fall, but at the cost of 
45 runs.

Over Stowey 99 All out
P Rich 18
S Pickard 18 no
Rob Golding 2 for 27
Steve Archer 7 for 24

Timberscombe 101 for 2
Nick Hill 28
Kev Godfrey 28 no
Paul Sparks 24 no

Timberscombe 26 Points beat Over Stowey 3 Points by 8 Wickets.

Newly promoted Timberscombe made light work of overcoming a useful 
Bagborough side.

Asked to bat on a wet wicket Timberscombe found the going tough as 
they battled to 150 all out. Ben Bowman was the pick of the batsmen 
with a well worked 51. He was ably assisted by Kev Godfrey who worked 
hard for his 38. M king was the pick of the visitors’ bowling with 5 
for 45 from his 10 overs.

I reply only one partnership between A Dingle (34) and S Collins posed 
any problems as the visitors were bundled out for 113. Nick Virgin and 
Rob Golding used the conditions well, ending with 2 wickets a piece. 
Steve Archer did the main damage ending with 4 for 18 in just over 5 
overs.

Timberscombe 150 All out
B Bowman 51
K Godfrey 38
M King 5 for 45

Bagborough 113 All out
A Dingle 34
S Archer 4 for 18

Timberscombe 26 Points beat Bagborough 8 Points by 37 runs.

Promotion secured without a ball being bowled. Churchinford pulled out leaving Timberscombe all 26 points. If the game had gone ahead it would never have finished thanks to torrential downpours on Saturday afternoon. Bonus!

North Herfordshire tourists Graveley, and former club of Timberscombe
Saturday Captain Paul Sparks, were the visitors for this friendly
fixture.

Invited to bat the tourists, slightly worse for wear from two days
enjoying West Somerset hospitality, set about setting their total.
Scoring at a brisk pace a big score seemed likely. At 20 overs the 
score had reached 117 for 3 with Captain Peter Bracey hitting the ball 
to all parts of the ground. The big hitting continued as Bracey moved
on to 85 from only 52 balls. The fall of his wicket tipped the balance 
of the innings as Gary Archer, who took 3 wickets, and Paul Keal and
Kev Godfrey, who took 2 each started to get back some control. The
visitors were finally all out for 187.

In reply the loss of early wickets put the home side under some 
pressure. Jason Abbott and Paul Sparks then came together to move
things forward. Their partnership of 100 put the home side on track.
When Abbott was out for 55 the innings was well placed. Sparks soon
followed for 33 and a fall of quick wickets brought Hannah Sparks and
Paul Keal together. When Sparks was out for 21 it was left to Keal 16
no and Mark Warwick to complete a 2 wicket win.

Timberscombe 188 for 8 beat Graveley 187 all out by 2 wickets.

The Select XI began their annual cricket weekend with a seven-run victory
over Timberscombe on Friday night.  The visitors were inserted, and with
Timberscombe players Matthew Bowden and James Ball both retiring at thirty
and Philip Milton striking a quickfire 28 the Select XI closed on 163-6,
Dave Cook being pick of the bowlers with 1-5 from his two overs, although
the highlight was some runs at last by skipper Will Wilson.

In reply the run rate was kept on a tight rein after Chris Powell
collected two victims in the first over, and despite thirties from Bruce
Lang and Jason Abbott and a late blitz in the dark from Nick Hill the
home side finished short on 156-5 after a good display in the field from
the Select XI.

Select XI 163-6 (M. Bowden 31 ret, J. Ball 30 ret, P. Milton 28, W.
Wilson 18)
TCC 156-5 (N. Hill 34*, J. Abbott 34 ret, B. Lang 31 ret)

Timberscombe were defeated by tourists Jesmond Jaguars on Sunday by five
wickets, in a game played in fine spirit throughout.

Timberscombe were put in to bat and were quickly in trouble, and despite
some lusty blows by Andrew Covey fell to 47 for 4 in the twelfth over.
However, this season’s leading run scorers Dan Bowditch and Jason Abbott
set about the bowling with vim and vigour, peppering the boundaries at
regular intervals, with one languid straight six from Bowditch a
highlight along with some of Abbott’s straight driving as both notched
up half-centuries.

The partnership had realised 167 runs when Bowditch was finally bowled
just short of a ton, and the innings finished fairly limply as
Timberscombe closed on 225 for 7, probably about twenty runs short of
par.  Pick of the bowlers was Eccles who used height and pace well to
end with 3 for 16.

In reply the visitors got off to a fine start, until a fine low catch by
Mark Bolton off the bowling of Sam Price saw then end of a good innings
by Ward at 70 for 1.  However another partnership between Lewis and
Mounsey flourished as loose bowling with punished accordingly, until
Bowditch was introduced to the attack and got two wickets in a two over
spell to get the innings back on track for Timberscombe.

However, further wickets for Charlie Tudball and Matthew Bowden were not
enough for the home side and Jesmond Jaguars crossed the finish line
with sixteen balls remaining.

TCC 225-7 (D Bowditch 96, J Abbott 67, Eccles 3-16)

Regular visitors Dartford returned to Timberscombe for this afternoon 
fixture.

Asked to bat Dartford overcame the initial loss of early wickets to 
post a respectable score of 156 for 8 from their 40 overs. N Wilson 
topped scored for the visitors with a well worked 66. Sam Price 
produced two impressive spells of bowling to return figures of 4 for 33 
from his 9 overs. Matt Bowden and Charlie Tudball both picked up two 
wickets a piece.

In reply the home side made a shaky start losing both openers by the 
time the score had moved to ten. Dave Cook and Paul Sparks then set 
about repairing the innings and when Cook was out for 23 the total had 
moved to 50. By the 30th over the score had moved to 99 for the loss of 
three more wickets. At this point Sparks senior was joined by his 
daughter Hannah. Together they managed to put on a partnership of 
nearly 60 to steer Timberscombe home in the last over. Paul Sparks 
ended on 66 and Hannah Sparks 21.

Timberscombe 157 for 6 beat Dartford 156 for 8 by 4 Wickets.

Fitzhead II v Timberscombe

Timberscombe came out on top in this hard fought 18 over cup final 
played at Dulverton Sunday.

Asked to bat, Timberscombe kept up a brisk pace to their innings 
throughout. Tom Sparks and Nick Hill got the innings off to a good 
start, with Hill going on to play the major innings of the total. He 
was finally out for 46. All the Timberscombe batsmen contributed to the 
final score of 134 for 5.Acland was the pick of the bowlers with 2 
wickets from his 5 overs.

Fitzhead set off in pursuit of the target with some vigour. R 
Bellringer putting bat to ball with some effect got them off to a 
flier. When he was out for 32 in the sixth over they were well placed 
on 48 for 2. The introduction of bowler Nick Virgin changed the game. A 
wicket with his first ball and a further 5 wickets over the remainder 
of his 4 overs swept Timberscombe to victory. When Kev Godfrey took his 
second, and the final Fitzhead wicket the score was on 98, some 36 runs 
short.

Timberscombe 134 for 5
N Hill 46

Fitzhead II 98 All out
R Bellringer 32
N Virgin 6 for 17

Timberscombe made light work of an under strength Taunton Radiac side 
passing the total set within 15 overs.

Winning the toss Timberscombe invited their visitors to bat. Early 
wickets fell and further wickets continued to fall as the Timberscombe 
bowlers worked their way through the batting. Steve Archer and Geoff 
Dibble took two a piece but the pick of the bowling was Nick Virgin, 
his 5 for 27 return took the middle out of the batting. Only three 
Radiac batsmen managed double figures as they were bowled out for 93.

In reply Timberscombe made a brisk start before the loss of opener Tom 
Sparks with the score on 33. The total was reached with the partnership 
between Nick Hill (41 no) and Paul Sparks (30 no). Radiac took the 
opportunity to bowl a range of their youngster but they were dealt with 
harshly as the home side cruised to their target to complete a 9 Wicket 
victory.

TCSRO 93 All out.
C Cox 21
N. Virgin 5 for 27

Timberscombe 95 for 1
N Hill 41no
P Sparks 30 no

Timberscombe 26 points beat TCSRO 2 points by 9 Wickets.