Timberscombe Cricket Club

Invited to bat by the visitors Timberscombe 
made a steady start to their innings. Openers Nick Hill and Paul Sparks 
took the 20 over total to 60 without any major scares. Soon after 
Sparks reached his fifty, soon to be followed by Hill who had set a 
more sedate pace upto the mid innings mark. With the scor on 118 the 
first wicket fell and more were to follow as the home batsmen set about 
their task in the closing overs. Sparks departed on 84 and the innings 
closed on 182 for 6.

The Stowey reply could not have started in worse 
fashion as they struggled to 9 for 4. Rob Golding and Will Giblett once 
again made batting difficult. Only when Jack Rich joined opener Mark 
Sortwell did the innings start to take shape. Rich decided attack was 
the best form of defence and swung his mongoose bat with purpose. 
Encouraged by his team mates a number of lusty blows had taken him to 
24 before he was out. Keen to get the run rate going Rich misjudged a 
quick single and was run out. More quick wickets fell and opener 
Sortwell was left in a helpless position with only last man Woodley to 
support him. A stubborn last wicket stand was not able to save the day 
as Sortwell was the last wicket to fall for a hard fought 35. The 
change bowling of Keith Graddon and Nick Virgin had again applied 
pressure and kept the innings in check.

Timberscombe 182 for 6
P 
Sparks 84
N Hill 54

Over Stowey 99 All Out
M Sortwell 35
J Rich 24
R 
Golding 3 for 15
K Graddon 3 for 36

Timberscombe 
26 Points Beat 
Carhampton 5 Points 
by 83 Runs

Timberscombe showed little mercy as they
moved to a comfortable win against Cannington.

Choosing to bowl the home side were always able to exert pressure and contain run scoring.
Early wickets from Will Giblett and a tidy spell from fellow opening
bowler Rob Golding put the brakes on scoring. A. Casswell was the pick
of the visitors batting, with some lusty hitting he was able to reach
35. Introduction of the evergreen Paul Keal and Keith Graddon did the
damage, and brought the Cannington innings to a close. Keal ended with
2 for 23 and Graddon with 5-5. Wicket Keeper Joe Shooter also had a
good day with five victims falling to him behind the stumps.

The Timberscombe reply got off to a good start, with 28 runs coming in the
first four overs. The loss of opener Ben Graddon on his Timberscombe
debut did not dent the chase as Paul Sparks joined opener Nick Hill to
chase down the total. They completed their task in the 21st over with
Hill reaching his second fifty of the season, finishing on an unbeaten
61, and Sparks on a steady 20.

Cannington 109 All Out
A Casswell 35

K Graddon 5 for 5

N Hill 61 Not out
P Sparks 20 Not Out

Timberscombe
26 Points Beat Cannington 2 Points
by 9 Wickets

Timberscombe came out on top in a this early 
top of the table clash between two well matched teams.

Electing to bat 
the visitors got off to a healthy start taking 30 from the first three 
overs. The loss of one early wicket did not dent their progress as 
opener Nick Hill and Ben Bowman continued their early season form. The 
100 run partnership they put together for the third wicket was to be 
the most significant of the afternoon. Excellent outfielding from the 
home side made run scoring more and more of a challenge. Both Bowman 
and Hill reached their half centuries before departing in the sixties. 
Useful knocks from Paul Sparks, Kev Godfrey and Will Giblett kept the 
momentum going. Matt Long and Taylor Maddock were the pick of the 
bowlers, both getting wickets at important phases of the innings. With 
extras reaching 44 the visitors were able to post a healthy 212 total 
at the close of the innings.

Carhampton’s reply got off to the worst 
possible start losing a wicket to the first ball. From there on Rob 
Golding and Will Giblett were able to apply pressure. Greg Howard 
batted sensibly and positively, with support from the smooth stroke 
play of Luke Taylor. The fall of Taylor’s wicket to a spectacular catch 
by Nick Hill at extra cover started a run of excellent outfield 
catches. Wickets fell at regular intervals as the home side’s batsmen 
tried in vain to take on change bowlers Paul Keal and Nick Virgin. The 
home side only needed one of their batsmen to stay at the crease to 
close in on the 212 total. It was not to be as Timberscombe chipped 
away and finally bowled them out for 147.

Timberscombe 212 for 6
N 
Hill 61
B Bowman 64
T Maddock 3 for 64
M Long 2 for 46

Carhampton 147 
All Out
G Howard 34
S Auton 28
P Keal 4 for 48
R Golding 3 for 37

Timberscombe 
26 Points Beat Carhampton 7 Points 
by 65 Runs

Timberscombe continued their good start to the 
season with a comfortable 9 wicket win over visitors Hinkley Point.

Winning the toss the home side chose to bowl. Despite two early drop 
catches, opening bowlers
Will Giblett and Rob Golding put the brakes on 
scoring and always looked likely to take wickets. 
Giblett took 3 
wickets for only 13 runs and was aided by change bowler Keith Graddon 
who himself took 5 for 8 in his ten overs. Only Hinkley captain Alex 
Troman offered any real resistance with a hard worked 34. When the last 
wicket fell the visitors had struggled to 82.

Timberscombe’s reply was 
always steady and controlled. The loss of a wicket on 16 did not halt 
the chase as opener Nick Hill (27no) and Ben Bowman (48no) confidently 
reached the target in the 17th over. Bowman’s innings included 10 fours 
taking full advantage of the perfect outfield and pace in the wicket. 

Hinkley Point 82 All Out
A Troman 34
W Giblett 3 for 13
K Graddon 5 for 
8

Timberscombe 83 for 1
N Hill 27 no
B Bowman 48 no

Timberscombe 
26 
Points Beat Hinkley Point 1 Point 
by 9 Wickets

Timberscombe took no time to demolish an understrength Dulverton.

The home side were bowled out for just 83 as Rob Golding and Keith Graddon took their batting apart. Carl and Lee hooper were the only ones to offer any resistence  with 20 and 30 runs respectively. Graddon ended with 4 for 15 and Golding 4 for 24.

In reply Nick Hill and Ben Bowman were able to guide the visitors home in just 17 overs.

Dulverton 83 All out

L Hooper 30

K Graddon 4 for 115

R Golding 4 for 24

Timberscombe 84 for 1

N Hill 40*

B Bowman 33*

Timberscombe 26 Points Beat Dulverton 1 Point by 9 Wickets

A low scoring game in 
Division 2 saw newly promoted Timberscombe overcome their opponents on 
a lively wicket offering a lot to the bowlers.

Asked to bat, Timberscombe’s openers set about their task in a steady but productive 
way. Twelve overs in and they were going at 4 an over. Opener Lang 
departed on 20 and this started a steady deterioration to the visitor’s 
innings. Only fellow opener Nick Hill and extras managed double figures 
as they were bowled out with 5 overs left and only 109 scored. Hill’s 
50 was to prove vital, and being dropped, right at the start of his 
innings, costly. Holman with 3 for 11 and Hoddinott with 4 for 17 were 
the pick of the bowlers.

Following a sharp shower over tea the hosts took the field in variable light. Opening bowlers Giblett and Golding 
took full advantage and bowled a miserly spell. 14 overs in and the 
score had crawled to 28 for 2. The double change of bowlers followed on 
the hard work they had done. Keith Graddon, on his return to 
Timberscombe colours, bowled with pace and menace, putting the batsmen 
under pressure. At the other end Nick Virgin bowled tight lines. In 
tandem they were difficult to get away and when the innings was finally 
ended Graddon had 5 for 23 and Virgin 2 for 10 from their shared twenty 
over spell. None of the Hull batsmen covered themselves in glory as the 
innings fell 32 runs short of the target.

Timberscombe 109 All Out

N Hill 50
B Lang 20
C Holman 3 for 11
J Hoddinott 4 for 17 

Bishop’s Hull 77 All Out
K Graddon 5 for 23
N Virgin 2 for 10
R Golding 2 for 14 

Timberscombe 23 Points Beat Bishop’s Hull 6 Points 
by 32 Runs