Goatacre v Colwall: GOATACRE managed to dodge most of the showers on Saturday and jump four places in the league table with a very convincing 115 run win over Colwall.

Despite the chance of showers forecast, Goatacre captain Peter Turner elected to bat after winning the toss. Goatacre opening batsmen Rob Turner and Steve Gee raced along in the first 8 overs at 7 runs per over, thanks in large part to the wayward Colwall bowling amassing 22 extras in that short time.

Turner was out in the eighth over for 15 runs, and Gee was joined at the crease by Steve Lines. Together they kept up the good run rate and by 20 overs Goatacre were 96 for 1.

Lines (20) was adjudged lbw in the 22nd over with the score on 113. With rain threatening Jif Wilkins joined Gee, and it wasn't long before the umpires decided that the rain was too hard and the players left the field at 2:25pm. More than 40 minutes of play was lost and the umpires reduced the match to 45 overs per side.

Play resumed with a maiden over from Colwall spin bowler Wagstaff, after which Wilkins and Gee continued to pile on the runs for Goatacre. Wilkins was eventually out in the 36th over for 45 from just 51 balls, and Goatacre were 198 for 3 with 9 overs remaining in the innings.

Another shower saw the players from the field of play and it was decided that tea should be taken to prevent further overs being lost. Gee was out for 88 in the first over after tea and when Kevin Iles was out for just 3 two overs later Goatacre were 216 for 5 with 4 overs to go.

Goatacre did, however, finish the innings strongly. Peter Turner (43 not out) and Edward Wilkins (22 not out) dispatched the Colwall bowling to all parts, hitting ten boundaries between them and adding a further 61 runs to Goatacre's total in those last four overs. Wagstaff (13-3-42-2) and Colwall captain Tom Wolfendale (4-0-34-2) returned the visitors' best bowling figures, but they had a mountain to climb with the bat chasing Goatacre's total of 277 for 5.

Colwall opening batsmen Wolfendale and Powell started strongly with 9 runs coming from the first over, but Goatacre opening bowlers Rob Turner and Adam Iles soon made-up for the early blip.

A tight line and length from the Goatacre bowlers frustrated the Colwall batsmen and with the runrate ever increasing Colwall felt they had to take more and more chances.

Turner (7-2-16-2) and Iles (7-1-17-2) accounted for the first four batsmen, and with the support from change bowlers Rahn Heer and Jif Wilkins ensured that Colwall would never reach the required target.

At drinks, after 23 overs, Colwall had managed just 79 runs for the loss of 5 wickets.

While the result was an almost certainty both teams wanted to secure as many bonus points as possible. Colwall would get an extra point for reaching 125 runs, whilst Goatacre were seeking 5 bonus points for bowling Colwall out and the additional two points if they managed that before Colwall reached 120.

Kevin Iles and Peter Turner ensured Goatacre scored the maximum 22 points by taking the final 5 Colwall wickets between them for just 36 runs. Colwall had reached 115 in 35.3 overs.

Next Saturday Goatacre face Dumbleton, who are just three points behind them in the league.