Tintern lose out (From Free Press Series)

Tintern lose out

Coleford (206 for 4) beat Tintern (123 all out) by 83 runs

The Tintern XI took on Coleford on Sunday afternoon, in a match reduced by a shower to 35 overs a side.

Coleford won the toss, elected to bat first and, with the pitch and outfield drying quickly, made an excellent start.

Their openers, M Jones, who went on to make a patient 59, and M Camp (49) batted responsibly in an opening partnership of 77 off 17 overs.

After the hard hitting M Camp had fallen to a fine catch in the deep by Steve Taylor off Owain Ellis (one for 35), Coleford captain A Price came to the crease and accelerated the scoring rate with a quick-fire 59.

Although the Tintern fielders and bowlers stuck to their tasks well, the breakthrough did not come until M Jones was first dropped and then run out off the same ball by Sam Hayward with the score on 152.

Steve Taylor rotated the Tintern bowlers, but to no avail, until Richard Davies took off the wicket-keeping pads and picked up two late wickets - one to another fine catch by Steve Taylor - to finish with figures of 2 for 34. The Coleford innings closed on 206 for 4.

After tea, the start of Tintern's innings matched that of Coleford's as Richard Davies (36) and Owain Ellis (37) put together an opening partnership of 82 off 16 overs.

In the next over however, both were dismissed off the bowling of A Stacey (2 for 27) as the match swung in favour of Coleford.

Thereafter, hard though they tried, Tintern were unable to put together any substantial stands.

Youngsters Jon Taylor (4), Stew Williams (3) and Ieuan Ellis (1 not out) provided staunch support, but the senior batsmen were unable to break free against accurate bowling by Coleford. As the required run rate rose, wickets fell at regular intervals.

The pick of the Coleford bowlers were N Curnow (2 for 28), and J Russell (3 for 12), as Tintern, well beaten on the day, subsided to 121 all out.