Doctors 221 for 5

Solicitors 121 all out

The Solicitors opening bowlers Nigel Yeo and John Coles gave Doctors a testing start against the new ball and the bat was beaten regularly in the first eight overs. Paul Smith was looking settled when he had a rush of blood and advanced needlessly down the track to Yeo (1-17) and chipped him tamely to midwicket. Skipper Keith Powell (22) played in his usual pugnacious style until the twelfth over when, with the score on 40, he essayed at least three different shots to the full toss from Andrew Hannam (1-40) which bowled him. John Ogle had by now put down roots at the other end and with Jeremy Budd laid the foundations for a big score. The Solicitors’ catching was to prove fallible all afternoon and both batsmen survived relatively straightforward chances. Their stand of 55 was broken when Budd (19) was unluckily bowled off his pads by James Mumford (1-55) and when S.Parsons ((1-14) took another quick wicket the innings was evenly balanced at 115 for 4. Bob Bradley came in to join Ogle and for a while they were only able to progress in singles against Ed Richards Bond and the returning Coles. Richards Bond was the pick of the bowling and was unlucky not to pick up a wicket but once he had been seen off the scoring rate soared as 61 came off the last four overs. Bradley (32) was bowled by a floater from Ed Boyce (1-5) but the majestic Ogle was now in full flight. His responsible innings had been punctuated with classical drives and thoughtful deflections and was appropriately rewarded in the final over with his maiden century for Doctors. The last over went for 31runs including four sixes and a four and Ogle was undefeated at the end on 112.

The visitors made a quiet start to their innings against tidy bowling by Dudley Perrin and Peter Reed (1-15). Solicitors’ star batsman John Barrington (31) was in fine form, particularly when executing the cover drive and it was a major blow when he was run out by a quick pick up and throw from Powell in the covers. A hostile spell from David Reed (1-23) and incisive bowling by Smith (2-14) did severe damage to the innings which attacking cameos from S.Paull and Parsons (10) could only partially repair. Doctors’ ground fielding and catching were of high quality with Smith, Powell and David Reed outstanding and it was a fine diving catch by Smith at cover off Jeremy Minchin (1-23) which accounted for Paull (16). The final rites were administered by the legspin of Giles Patterson (2-4) and left arm bowler Richard Budd (1-6). Budd at 14 days short of his ninth birthday eclipsed his brother Oliver’s record as the youngest player to appear for Bridgwater Doctors.