Cleeve Cricket Club first team came up 49 runs short against Bristol Pakistanis this weekend after some lower order hitting from the Bristol side produced late runs and Cleeve lost some early wickets in reply.

Returning Cleeve skipper Sam Williams elected to field first and his opening bowlers delivered the early control Cleeve has come accustomed to, with opening pairing of Andy Barnsley and Jack Spiers, both 1-31 from eight overs, picking up successful LBW appeals in the first six overs leaving Bristol at 18-2 and identical bowling analyses of 8 overs 1 for 31.

Connor Hance was initially unsuccessful as more pace from Sam Jervis collected two more scalps in consecutive balls as he claimed Cleeve’s 3rd LBW success and Tom Baughan pouched at 44-4 in the 15th over.

Williams, three overs for 10 runs, Jalal Ahmed, six overs for 24, and Joe Hance, two overs for 12, were unsuccessful as right arm spin from Mitch Want added to more victims, again off consecutive balls, to put Bristol on 117-6 at the end of the 30th over.

Bristol then added 60 runs over the next 10 overs before Baughan, 1-32 from three overs, took his only wicket of the day before the returning Connor Hance, 1-31 from six, bowled Hussein on the last ball as Bristol Pakistanis tabled 226-8 at tea.

Cleeve needed a strong start, but lost openers Want and Williams for 14 runs apiece and then James Ball for six at 36-3 in the 11th over, with Cleeve needing some rebuilding.

This was duly picked up by Barnsley who had a slow start but held on as wickets fell around him with C Hance, Carpenter, Spiers and Baughan all dismissed for single figures.

The only resistance came from Joe Hance with 13 followed by Ahmed’s 25 off 25 balls.

Barnsley’s stay ended at the end of the 42nd over as he was bowled for a fine 71 comprising of eight fours and one maximum, with Cleeve ending all out for 177.

Cleeve took the 49-eun loss but as other results went their way, they remain 5th in the Senior Division and next week travel to Frenchay who remain unbeaten.