Late partnership helps to secure win

Midsomer Norton needed a match-winning ninth-wicket partnership to secure anarrow win at Lansdown and edge fur- ther away at thetop of the Prem 2 Bristol/Som Division in the West of England Premier League.

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Having opted to bat, it looked a poor decision as Norton were left reeling on 84-8 after 27 and a half overs, with only opener Jake Roberts (22) making it into the 20s.

Adam Sylvester (36) and Morgan Skipp (51*) then combined to bring the visitors back into the contest with an 83-run stand. Remarkably, Skipp was able to bring up his halfcentury as Norton managed to see out their 50 overs and set 184-9 to chase.

A stoic performance from Lansdown’s opener ultimately went unrewarded as Norton starved him of support from the other end. Sylvester (2-23) managed to claim the first two wickets for ducks, before JC Harding (4-24) and Paul Robbins (2-24) made their way through the rest of the order.

Having spent over three hours at the crease, Harding finally removed the opener to leave Lansdown on 165-9 with just under four overs to play. Harding then struck again a ball into the penultimate over to see Norton hang on by 12 runs to remain 17 points clear at the top.

Midsomer Norton had made it through to the semi finals of the Somerset Major Cup last Thursday with a 25-run win over Premier One side Bath.