Nailsea travelled to Bristol Malayalee on Saturday, hoping to get back to winning ways.

Having lost the toss, the visitors were asked to bat first in difficult conditions. Quickly finding themselves three wickets down, a rebuilding effort was the order of the day.

Matt Beadle, with 10, David McIlroy, 11 and 17 from Adrian Procter helped opener Ryan Orr get Nailsea back on track.

However, when Orr fell for a patient, but valuable 49, the Nailsea innings was to close on a disappointing 127.

Nailsea’s bowlers toiled manfully in an attempt to force their way back into the game.

Pete Hardcastle with 1 – 35 and Adrian Procter 2-18, removed the Malayalee openers to give Nailsea hope.

Jack Smith, continuing his good form with 1-17, kept the pressure on and with the returning Mike Rowcliffe chipping in with 1-22, the game was still there to win.

Unfortunately, with decisions not going their way, no further wickets fell with the home club claiming a 5 wicket victory. Next week Nailsea travel to Old Down.

As the second half of the season begins, Nailsea will be looking to build on all the positive aspects of the season so far, no least the excellent team spirit and ‘never say die’ attitude.

This week’s offering……

Nailsea travelled to Brislington looking to get back to winning ways. Having won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first, good opening spells from Liam Lester ( 1-24 ) and Adrian Procter ( 3-17 ) immediately put Brislington under pressure. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Jack Smith,( 1-27 ) Alan Rogerson, ( 2-20 ) Steve Lester, ( 1-8 ) and Richard Billows ( 1-24 ) all contributing as Bris were bowled out for 136. In reply, Mat Beadle fell for 5, but the in form Gary Phippen was then joined by Rob Lange. The pair took Nailsea to 61 before Phippen was run out for 21. Liam Lester contributed a hard hitting 28 from just 21 balls as he and Lange added a rapid 66 for the third wicket. Despite two quick wickets, there were to be no dramas as Nailsea cruised home with almost twenty overs to spare. Man of the Match Rob Lange, was to finish unbeaten on 65, an innings that contained a dozen boundaries and a maximum. Next week Nailsea host Old Park at The Grove, with a 1 o’clock start.

Friday night will see the second All Stars and Dynamos sessions at The Grove. Nearly 90 youngsters attended and their enthusiasm and skills were great to see. Under the guidance of coaches Terry Robinson and Gary Phippen and an army of helpers, a fantastic time was had by all. The future and reinvigoration of junior cricket in Nailsea is off to a fine start.

This week’s installment……close, but no cigar!

Nailsea made the long trek to Oldfield Park on Saturday where, thanks to the thoughtful deployment of covers during the week, play was able to start on time, despite days of terrible weather. Asked to bat first on a dry pitch, Oldfield made good progress against excellent Nailsea bowling. Pete Grace bowled his 8 overs for just 16 runs and with Mat Beadle picking up an early wicket and keeping the run rate under control, the visitors could be content with their position at half way. However, the second half of the Oldfield innings was dominated by opener Pather, as he began to unleash a fine repotoire of shots to all corners. Despite being dropped a number of times,(9!!!) he proceeded to put the Nailsea bowlers to the sword, finishing unbeaten on 130. Mat Beadle finished with 2-42, Richard Billows 1- 26 and Mike Ready 1-28 from a full compliment of 8 overs, as Oldfield closed on 191 for 4. On such a cold, blustery day, excellent catches by Gary Phippen, James Baber and a diving Ready were to be applauded.

In reply, Ready and Ryan Orr made excellent progress, adding 52 for the first wicket, at a good rate, before Orr fell for 21. Ready was then joined by skipper Phippen and the pair continued serenely to 72, at which point, the stars aligned for a freak occurrence! Having faced the six balls of a normal over and with both scorers doing their thing, with heads down and pencils whirring, Nailsea’s umpires concluded that there was still a ball to go, at which point Phippen drilled a lovely straight drive back at the bowler. With a deft left boot, the bowler somehow managed to deflect the ball on to the non strikers stumps, leaving Ready stranded and dismissed for a faultless 31! Those who have played the game will recognise how harsh that kind of dismissal is, let alone off of a rogue seventh delivery! Despite the loss, Nailsea continued to hunt down the Oldfield score. Steve Lester, 12, and Matt Beadle, with 10, provided valuable, rapid, support to Phippen, but once he fell for a fine 71, it was always going to be a tough ask. With Pather now introduced to the Oldfield attack and the run rate increasing, attack was the only option. Whirling bats and straight deliveries were to end in a series of quick wickets and, ultimately, defeat, as every Nailsea batsman was to be bowled by the impressive Pather, who was to finish with 6 for 10, to add to his 100, as Nailsea finished 10 runs short. With both sides grateful for the hard work of the ground staff, an entertaining game leaves Nailsea mid table as they head off for an away game at Brislington next weekend.

Nailsea Cricket Club traveled to Brislington looking to get back to winning ways.

Having won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first, good opening spells from Liam Lester ( 1-24 ) and Adrian Procter ( 3-17 ) immediately put Brislington under pressure.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Jack Smith,( 1-27 ) Alan Rogerson, ( 2-20 ) Steve Lester, ( 1-8 ) and Richard Billows ( 1-24 ) all contributing as Bris were bowled out for 136. In reply, Mat Beadle fell for 5, but the in form Gary Phippen was then joined by Rob Lange.

The pair took Nailsea to 61 before Phippen was run out for 21. Liam Lester contributed a hard hitting 28 from just 21 balls as he and Lange added a rapid 66 for the third wicket.

Despite two quick wickets, there were to be no dramas as Nailsea cruised home with almost twenty overs to spare.

Man of the Match Rob Lange, was to finish unbeaten on 65, an innings that contained a dozen boundaries and a maximum. Next week Nailsea host Old Park at The Grove, with a 1 o’clock start.

Friday night will see the second All Stars and Dynamos sessions at The Grove. Nearly 90 youngsters attended and their enthusiasm and skills were great to see. Under the guidance of coaches Terry Robinson and Gary Phippen and an army of helpers, a fantastic time was had by all.

The future and reinvigoration of junior cricket in Nailsea is off to a fine start.

Nailsea made the long trek to Oldfield Park on Saturday where, thanks to the thoughtful deployment of covers during the week, play was able to start on time, despite days of terrible weather.

Asked to bat first on a dry pitch, Oldfield made good progress against excellent Nailsea bowling. Pete Grace bowled his 8 overs for just 16 runs and with Mat Beadle picking up an early wicket and keeping the run rate under control, the visitors could be content with their position at half way.

However, the second half of the Oldfield innings was dominated by opener Pather, as he began to unleash a fine repotoire of shots to all corners.

Despite being dropped a number of times,(9!!!) he proceeded to put the Nailsea bowlers to the sword, finishing unbeaten on 130.

Mat Beadle finished with 2-42, Richard Billows 1- 26 and Mike Ready 1-28 from a full compliment of 8 overs, as Oldfield closed on 191 for 4. On such a cold, blustery day, excellent catches by Gary Phippen, James Baber and a diving Ready were to be applauded.

In reply, Ready and Ryan Orr made excellent progress, adding 52 for the first wicket, at a good rate, before Orr fell for 21.

Ready was then joined by skipper Phippen and the pair continued serenely to 72, at which point, the stars aligned for a freak occurrence!

Having faced the six balls of a normal over and with both scorers doing their thing, with heads down and pencils whirring, Nailsea’s umpires concluded that there was still a ball to go, at which point Phippen drilled a lovely straight drive back at the bowler.

With a deft left boot, the bowler somehow managed to deflect the ball on to the non strikers stumps, leaving Ready stranded and dismissed for a faultless 31!

Those who have played the game will recognise how harsh that kind of dismissal is, let alone off of a rogue seventh delivery!

Despite the loss, Nailsea continued to hunt down the Oldfield score.

Steve Lester, 12, and Matt Bedale, with 10, provided valuable, rapid, support to Phippen, but once he fell for a fine 71, it was always going to be a tough ask.

With Pather now introduced to the Oldfield attack and the run rate increasing, attack was the only option.

Whirling bats and straight deliveries were to end in a series of quick wickets and, ultimately, defeat, as every Nailsea batsman was to be bowled by the impressive Pather, who was to finish with 6 for 10, to add to his 100, as Nailsea finished 10 runs short.

With both sides grateful for the hard work of the ground staff, an entertaining game leaves Nailsea mid table as they head off for an away game at Brislington next weekend.