A below par performance saw Cleeve woefully short of their best despite some individual batting, bowling and fielding performances, to lose by 105 runs to Bristol Pakistanis this weekend.
Cleeve were invited to field first and the opening seam pairing of Andy Barnsley, 1-32 from nine overs, and Jack Speirs combined well, with both securing early scalps thanks to pouches from Tom Baughan at short cover to remove Imran and Haroon, putting Bristol Pakistanis at 26 for two in the ninth over.
A further 40 runs were added between Khan and Hassan before the former snicked off to keeper Tom Carpenter to give Sam Jervis his only wicket of the day.
Jalal Ahmed’s right-arm off-spin nabbed a couple more wickets as Ben Pinkney added another to remove Hussain for a single before Hassan was bowled for 29 at 97-5 in the 25th over.
James Cole’s two overs brought no reward, but Baughan removed Azeem thanks to sharp work from the gloveman Carpenter, stumped for 30.
Pinkney combined with the returning Spiers to polish off the tail, as Pinkney collected a trio of wickets, taking three for 50 from his 8.4 overs, castling two and Want catching the other.
Meanwhile, Spiers had Sam Williams to thank for a catch at deep mid-off to end on two for 35 from nine overs and putting Bristol Pakistanis all out for 196 in the last of the 45 overs.
Cleeve felt confident in the chase but soon lost opener James Ball for no score and Pinkney for two, both bowled by Sajjad.
Skipper Williams fell by LBW to Javed as his delivery stayed low, making Cleeve 52 for three after 10 overs.
Want was dismissed for a fine 32 ball 36 runs, then Barnsley just three balls later, with Cleeve at 56 for five.
Ahmed hung around for 52 balls before holing out for six as Spiers added 19 from 21 balls before being bowled out.
The remaining four batters added just four runs between them and Cleeve were all out for 91 in the 30th over.
The dismissal left Skipper Williams frustrated with the performance, which was well below par for this young side, but they can make amends, weather permitting, with last week’s re-arranged Somerset Cup game away to Huntspill and District CC on May 15th and then league action as Cleeve host Frenchay next Saturday, hoping for a better performance.
Cleeve 2nds had a more enjoyable weekend and a fine bowling performance led by youngster Cam Elswood and veteran off spinner Mark Jones set up a comfortable eight wicket victory over local rivals Backwell Flaxbourton.
Skipper George Parson’s decision to field first was vindicated as young pace man Cam Elwood bowled Toole and Kent with his first two deliveries.
Freddie Basnett and Ellis Turner went wicketless but conceded just 23 runs in their combined 12 overs, putting the pressure on the batting side as Jones stepped up to roll out three in a row thanks to stumping from keeper Tom Birt and catches from Will Grubb and son Dan, at 50 for five.
George Parsons and Will Grubb were wicketless in four overs apiece as spin from Alfie Parsons secured a brace, two for 12 from 4.1 overs, as Charlie Grubb and Birt held on.
Sharp fielding from Elswood and Turner secured run outs as Backwell tried in vain to build a defendable total but ended all out for 98 in the 38th over.
In reply, Cleeve lost Dan Jones for 13 and fellow opener Dan Dixon for 12, both caught to leave veteran Charlie Grubb, 33, and skipper Parsons, 27, the not out batters and Cleeve victors in just the 17th over.
Next week Cleeve 2nds travel to Failand and Portbury hoping to continue the almost perfect start to their new season.
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