Timberscombe Cricket Club

Timberscombe completed the double over Dulverton in an impressive 70 run victory.  After being sent to Coventry the returning Nick Hill showed just how much he was missed as opener as he got Timberscombe off to a flyer with 26 runs off just 20 balls.  Matt Stonier and Jason Abbott had the best partnership of the game before Stonier was bowled by Cottrell for 28.  Abbott went on his usaul aggressive manner retiring on 52 after hitting 3 maximums and 6 boundaries.  Paul Sparks came in late on and bludgeoned a quick fire 22 no to set Dulverton and imppressive target of 181 to win.  Ali Lang scored another duck and looks an early contender for the much coveted Duck Cup along with Russell Summersgill.

Dulverton struggled from the start and the demon bowling of Ali Lang removed both openers.  J Williams was Dulverton’s mainstay scoring 42 before being caught by Bowditch off the bowling of Nick Hill.  Bowditch then ripped through the lower order with 3 wickets as Dulverton limped to 111 all out.

Timberscombe 181 (J Abbott 52 no)

Dulverton 111 ( J Williams 42, D Bowditch 3-5, A Lang 2-30)

Timberscombe loss the toss and were invited to bat on a wicket that appeared to offer something to the bowlers.  A steady opening for the opening wicket between Brandon Rawle and Nick Hill was broken in the 9th Over with the score on 20.  Hill and skipper Paul Sparks then put together a useful partnership that set up the innings.  Hill’s departure for 45 led to a flurry of wickets in the middle order.  When Sparks departed on 48 at the fall of the 5th wicket, a challenging total was not guaranteed.  Paul Keal then took control of the innings and carried the score with some clever running and improvised strokeplay. When the innings closed on 204 for 7, Keal had carried his bat for 53 off only 29 balls.

West Monkton were in trouble when opener Reeves was run out off the first ball by a direct hit from Tom Sparkes in the field.  Early tight bowwling from Rob Goulding and Will Giblet reduced the home side to 24 for 7 in pretty quick time.  Only R Buckley (32no) showed resistance when he and number 10 D Baverstock put together the partnership of the innings.  When Dibble finally wrapped up the tail, West Monkton were left well short on 99 all out.

Scores

Timberscombe 204 for 7

Nick Hill 45

Paul Sparks 48

Paul Keal 53 no

A Coles 4 for 68

West Monkton 99 All out

R Buckley 34

Rob Goulding 4 for 8

West Monkton 5 points Timberscombe 26 points

Timberscombe were left to reflect on a string of dropped catches as Holford won the toss and elected to bat.  The main beneficiary of the Home sides charity was C Mckegney who rode his luck and developed and innings that formed the backbone of Holford’s 159.  Thanks to hard hitting, and an array of shots shown, Mckegney punished the home bowling to all parts of the ground in between apparently giving catching practice to the home fileders.  The Holfod score was looking ominous on a a really true and good cricket wicket, until a flurry of wickets saw the hard worked bowlers get some return for their efforts.    Rob Goulding was justly rewarded in  his two spells finishing with 4 for 25.   Holford were finally bowled out for 159 in the 28th over.

The loss of a wicket from the first ball immediately put Timberscombe on the back foot. Paul Sparks and Nick Hill appeared to be steadying things until first Hill and then Sparkes departed in quick succession.  Chris Hill and Paul Keal then carried the innings forward before a flurry of wickets put the home side under the pressure.  Batsman all the way down the order got in, got a start, and then got out.  Only Keal developed his innings before departing on 33.  J Hawkins caused most of the problems with the ball finishing on 4 for 31.  Timberscombe’s Innings finally petered out leaving them 23 short of their target.

Scores

Holford 159 All Out

C Mckegney 97

Rob Goulding 4 for 25

Paul Keal 3 for 44

Timberscombe 136 All Out

Paul Keal 33

J Hawkins 4 for 31

Timberscombe gained revenge for last years defeat on a glorious May evening beating the visitors by 48 runs. Timberscombe captain Steve Perkins called in the two Weetch brothers from Stogumber as Timberscombe regulars Abbot & Shooter had defected to play for the teachers.

Timberscombe were asked to bat and openers Dave Cook and Tom Sparks found it difficult to score off the accurate bowling of Geoff Dibble and Mctavish scoring only 4 runs in the opening 4 overs, which included 2 maidens. Frustration showed as both were caught trying to increase the run rate. James Weetch was joined at the crease by captain Perkins and immediately gave more impetus to the inning as they both hit sixes to start their innings. Perkins was happy to play second fiddle to the amazing Weetch who after 7 overs retired on 57 hitting 4 sixes and 6 fours. Perkins went onto score 20 before being surprising caught by an acrobatic Abbot off the bowling of Sparks. Paul and Hannah Sparks both scored 12 runs to set the schoolmasters an ambitious total of 142 for victory.

In reply Mike Green looked in good touch before being run out on 19 when Russ Summersgill skillfully deflected a straight drive from Shooter onto the stumps. Timberscombe scented victory and removed the dangerous middle order of Shooter caught by J Weetch bowled by C Weetch and the infamous Abbot caught by P Sparks off the bowling of Phil Dibble who on debut went onto to claim three wickets. Loanee P Sparks then came back to the crease to show that he could actually play in 20 20 mode with a flurry of boundaries to finish on 16 n.o. but Timberscombe claimed the last wicket to close the innings on 93.

J Weetch 57 n.o

S Perkins 20

J Abbott 2 overs 10 runs 2 wickets

M Green 19

P Sparks 16 n.o

T Sparks 3 overs 3 runs 2 wickets

P Dibble 2 overs 7 runs 3 wickets

Friendly Timberscombe v Minehead 14 May 2008

Over 400 runs were scored in an excellent game of cricket played in scorching conditions at Timberscombe with Minehead’s Brian Hamblin bludgeoning 100 runs to set a very competitive total of 219 to win off 40 overs. Timbersombe came close but could only muster 190 for 8 and had to settle for a losing draw. Timberscombe were two players short and Minehead’s captain Ian Buchanan sportingly loaned out all rounders Martin & Drakely to balance the sides. Timberscombe started brightly with Bradley Martin cheaply dismissing the top order of Bowditch and capt Buchanan the latter thanks to a champagne moment from stand in wicket keeper Jez Dibble who made a full length dive to catch the edge. Drakely was also in the action catching Snell off the bowling of Bulpin and Minehead were reeling with three down within four overs. This brought Minehead’s hero Hambin to the crease and with the support of B Rawle (28) and T Cottrell (29 no) Minehead recovered well. Summersgill & Perkins bowled 18 overs in the heat and managed to slow the run rate. Although it was Hamblin’s day as after surviving a couple of tight lbw decisions early on from the bowling of Summergill & Perkins and a couple of very hard caught and bowled chances from Abbot & Perkins he road his luck and after being dropped by Bulpin again from the bowling of luckless Perkins he retired exhausted on 100 runs after running a 3 to add to his 2 sixes and 12 fours. Timberscombe – Bradley Martin 10 overs 52 runs 5 wickets Minehead – Brian Hamblin 100 (ret) In response Timberscombe needed nearly a run a ball and opener Nevada cracked two boubndaries before being bowled trying playing an agricultural shot towards Dunkery Beacon. Dearey opened the bowling and kept it tight will only 9 runs coming off 6 overs for one wicket. Following the unnessarry run out of opener Dibble (who appeared to be still thinking of his earlier champagne moment) came the best partnership of the game with Jason Abbot 74 off 65 balls and Matt Drakely 43 off 53 balls. Both played beautifully with an array of shots to all parts of the ground. Minehead showed their bowling strength by using all ten players but just as Timberscombe sensed victory on came Snell to bowl both Abbot & Drakely in quick succession. Bradley Martin kept the game alive with an amusing 25 off 19 but Ali Lang like his father Bruce found it difficult to score and only amassed 3 runs off the last 7 overs and Timberscombe had to settle for the losing draw. Minehead -Snell 4 overs 15 runs 2 wickets Timberscombe – Abbot 74 & Drakely 43

Lydeard St Lawrence v Timberscombe

Lydeard came out on top winning by 1 wicket in this close fought and tight match. Chasing 194 to win, Lydeard’s local knowledge of how to play on the ground was the deciding factor. S Power led the way with a hard-hitting and canny knock of 76. With other useful contibutions and some good hitting the total was reached with 8 balls to spare with the outcome in the balance all the way. Timberscombe’s bowlers, notably Will Giblett with 3 for 49 and Geoff Dibble with 4 for 38, had worked hard. They were well supported by the ground fielding, which had to be good with such short boundaries. Earlier in the afternoon Timberscombe had been invited to bat. A steady start by Paul Sparks who made 30, and a patient 77 by Joe Shooter, who held the innings together, allowed a platform for Will Giblett to launch a late assualt with a hard hit 41 near the end. Pick of the Lydeard bowlers was Ed White who bowled tighly in both his spells with little joy. Overall a pleasant afternoon’s cricket with a competitive game played in a great spirit.

Scores.
Timberscombe 194 for 4
Shooter 77 (NO), Giblett 41 (NO),Sparks 30
Lydeard St Lawrence 195 for 9
Power 76, Chester 28
Giblett 3 for 49, Dibble 4 for 38.

Lydeard St Lawrence 23 points, Timberscombe 9 points

Timberscombe managed to lose from a position of strength against a modest total playing the recently reformed Williton side. A. Martin opened the batting and top scored with 28 before being blowed by Abbot (3 for 19). The dangerous Strong opened his shoulders for a maximum before being caught off the bowling of Summersgill. T. Maddock smashed Abbott all around the ground for a quick fire 20 and was ably assisted by captain E. Martin who scored 24 not out.

Timberscombe’s reply to Willitons’ 108 all out got off to a pedestrian start as Sparks (19) and Cook struggled to adjust to the pace of the artificial wicket, however Cooks departure led to a collapse as T. Maddock ripped though the Timberscombe top order. Abbott led the fight back with a tempestuous 32 which included three 6s before being dismissed by a fine 1 handed catch from A Martin. Perkins and Hill got Timberscombe within touching distance whilst seeing off the pace attack, however when Hill was caught on the boundary Perkins needed 8 off the last two balls having hit the first for four he couldn’t repeat the feat and Williton claimed a win

Williton: 108 all out A Martin 28 E Martin 24 no J Abbott 3 for 19

Timberscombe 105 – 8 J Abbott 32 P Sparks 19 T Maddock 3 for 5

Golden Ducks: A Lang, G Storey
Ducks: J Shooter