Double vision as Nailsea Cricket Club 1st XI hypnotize Shire 1st XI

Nailsea 1st XI 168-7 (41 overs) beat Shirehampton 1st XI 118 all out (36.3 overs)

Nailsea Cricket Club 1st XI recorded their second successive win in the WEPL Bristol & North Somerset Division and may have local sports hypnotherapist Penny Ling partly to thank for their sudden change in fortunes.

Penny first heard about Nailsea CC when taking part in their sponsorship draw last year.

This led to her winning an advertising banner, recently unveiled at Nailsea's home ground.

Penny said she was keen to support the club due to the part they play in the community and her fond memories of a dalliance with the sport at school.

Having lost their first three games of 2010, Nailsea invited Penny along to one of their weekly practice sessions to run through some ideas and relaxation techniques.

And the link up seems to have had an immediate effect, with Nailsea now adding victory over Shirehampton to their win against bottom side Hambrook last week.

On a drizzly day at Penpole Lane, the visitors lost the toss and were put in to bat. Nailsea started solidly, with openers Russ Baker and Matt Bryant seeing off the new ball threat of Ken Earl and Adam Fidoe to reach 28-0 before the rain brought a temporary halt to proceedings. A 40-minute delay saw the game reduced to 41 overs a side and, after a brief continuation of their unextravagant start, Nailsea saw a sudden peak in the run rate - Russ Baker helping take 28 off former housemate Graham Williams' 3 overs.

However, Nailsea weren't getting away from Shire and the removal of Matt Bryant (bowled by Fidoe for 26) and Matthew Benn (1) in quick succession put them back under pressure. Scoring was difficult for the new men at the crease and Tom Moss (21) offered good (if not aesthetically pleasing) support to in form skipper Baker, as the pair put together a vital mid-innings partnership.

Moss was finally caught trying to hit Peter Dein for another six as Baker continued past 50 and looked to push home the advantage. Earl (3-38) and Fidoe (2-35) returned well though, Baker fell for an excellent 76 and it was left to David Blower (11) and the rest of the lower order to chip away to a undaunting yet defendable 168 for 7.

As with many restructured matches, the chasing side seemed to have the upper hand in this one, with little above 4 runs an over required.

Of the Shirehampton top 4, only Graham Williams failed to get a start when he was well caught at second slip off the bowling of Richard Morris for 0.

Morris was in excellent form though - bowling with consistent line and length as well as seam movement in both directions - and removed remaining opener Imran Naseer (16) with a bouncing, seaming delivery which took the edge.

Peter Dein (27) and Andrew Geddes (33) steadied the ship and accumulated well without taking the game away from Nailsea and, when Steve Allard produced a superb inswinger to clip the top of Dein's off stump, the visitors saw a window of opportunity.

Morris claimed an LBW on his way to figures of 3-24 off 11 overs before being replaced by Nick Jury and Nailsea's new mental steel now became evident as the side ruthlessly took control of the game.

Jury bowled Geddes & Nurse (2) and had Earl (0) caught behind, while young leg spinner Harry Hope bowled Sam Parker (2) and nonchalantly ran out Fidoe (20) - throwing down the stumps when he had time to walk across and remove the bails with the batsman stranded.

Nailsea finished their fielding display as intensely as they had started it. David Blower had set the tone with some superb ground fielding and it was Matthew Benn who finished it off, swooping in from cover to run out Billy Cook and leave Shirehampton 118 all out.

Nailsea will no doubt be thinking positively ahead of next week's game at home to Winterbourne.

Nailsea CC will be broadcasting live on the BBC Radio Bristol feature 'The club we love...' on Tuesday, June 1.

Club coach Terry Robinson and 2nd XI skipper David Blower will be chatting to Geoff Twentyman during the 6pm- 7pm section of the drivetime show which starts at 4pm.

They'll be chatting about everything they love about the sport and everything which is going on at the club.

Tune-in to 94.9FM, 104.6FM & DAB and let us know what you think.