Cleeve Cricket Club's 2nd team beat Backwell by nine wickets

It was such a dominant performance for Cleeve that the scheduled 40-over game was done and dusted by 4.30pm following a brilliant all-round display of Cleeve’s bowling and fielding.

Backwell elected to bat first but struggled to get out of their first gear as just two Backwell batsmen managed to make double figures.

Tom Redding, 3-10 from 5.1 overs, picked up the first wicket for Cleeve with a Ben Morris grab at mid-off removing opener Wood for no score before Redding bowled Bodkin for seven, with Backwell at 17-2 after just two overs.

Young Oli Freeman, 2-11 from five overs, secured his brace in the game as Charlie Grubb made good ground to catch Williams for Freeman’s first and Corns was adjudged LBW for the second, putting Backwell at 24-4 after 10 overs.

A turn to spin brought in Ellis Turner, 1-19 from five overs, and Alfie Parsons, 1-15 from eight.

Leg spin from Turner removed B Howe for just two runs before the off spin of Parsons bowled Baughan for a Backwell top score of 24 and the team at 61-6.

Manning was bowled for eight by Stuart Williams, 1-17 from six overs, to put Backwell at 67-7 before Cleeve skipper George Parsons, 1-5 from three, swapped the keeper’s pads for the ball to remove Harris for four as Turner held on.

The returning Redding, 3-10 from 5.1 overs, then struck with his first ball to bowl Hobbs, putting Backwell Flax Bourton all out for 82 at the start of the 33rd over.

In reply, Cleeve made short work of the target, losing just Grubb for four runs in the process.

Dan Dixon, 26 runs, and Dan Jones, 27, were the not out batters as Cleeve reached their target at the end of the 14th over to claim a huge nine wicket victory and stay atop the division.

Next week Cleeve host Failand and Portbury 2nds and will be looking for another strong performance.