MIKE Carpenter is best known for his exploits behind the stumps after more than 30 seasons at Cleeve. But at the age of 48 he persuaded skipper Anup Kolambkar to give him a first-ever bowl in a league game – and finished with 5-53 in a 70-run triumph at University Staff!
Carpenter said: "I've been trying to hand the gloves over to someone younger for some time, and we've got a lad here in Tom Burt who has got good hands and is a good prospect.
"I kept telling Anup that I could bowl instead and it took a while to convince him.
"And what happened shows that you're never too old to try something new, even though I've not bowled since I was at school.
"Maybe this is my future now, a bit of left-arm around the wicket and helping point some of our younger lads in the right direction, although afterwards I couldn't find a single part of my body that didn't hurt!"
Cleeve totalled 221-9 in this Globe Sports Bristol & District Division Two clash away to University Staff, Kolambkar (70) and fellow opener James Ball (48) top-scoring as Matt O'Donnell (4-36) and Yusuf Mahadik (4-50) struck. Staff were then undone by Carpenter's flighted teasers, opener Martin Challand top scoring with 58.
Opener Moon Bhatti (88) and Vivek Singh (70) shared an unbroken stand of 154 as Bristol Indians romped in by nine wickets at home to Woodpeckers who were pegged back to 181-8, Matt Curtis top-scoring on 48.
Sam Douglas' unbeaten 68 and 47 from skipper Martyn Rich guided Lodway to a four-wicket success at home to Blagdon, for whom Tom Moy top scored on 74.
Bristol Sri Lankans secured one of the wins of the day, chasing down a target of 296 at Lympsham. Jamie Howson (120) and Dave Luff (78 no) led the home side to 295-3 but Ali (93 no) and Kodithuwakku (71 no) were also in fine form in a seven-wicket win.
In the Senior Division, Chew Magna were four-wicket victors at home to Failand & Portbury who did not help their cause by bowling 44 wides and six no balls.
Opener Shazil (92) and Haroon (75) helped Pak Bristolians pile up an imposing 293-5 at Dyrham & Hinton, who fell 44 runs short despite Graeme Webb's 114 (111 balls, 13 fours, two sixes).
Nigel Armstrong's second successive half century plus a return of 5-27 from Rob Chick helped Portishead to a six-wicket home win over Almondbsury.
And Hanham squeezed in by one wicket at home to YMCA, Mark Stone claiming 5-18 after the visitors were bowled out for 103.
In Division One, Mark Spicer's 5-27 helped rout Bristol Pakistanis for only 56, Bitton easing in by nine wickets.
And tight spells from Newford Luke (4-22) and Nathan Bowen (2-36, both from 12) restricted Long Ashton to 141-8 ahead of Phoenix West Indians securing a three-wicket win after two successive wash outs.
Shahid Malik (97) and Zaheer (67) helped Pakistani Express edge home by one wicket at Barrow Gurney, sharing a stand of 141. Mick Hardy had earlier top scored for Barrow with an unbeaten 65.
And Viv Dash's 85 was the highlight of United Banks' seven-run home win over Bristol Civil Service.
In Division Four, Taveners produced a good team display to overcome Old Caths by 39 runs at Fry's.
Opener Paul Jackson's 56 was a highlight of Taveners' 182-7 before Craig Brookes (3-15), David Adams (3-26) and Mark Tadgell (3-42) teamed up to dismiss the visitors for 143.
Wicketkeeper Pete Aldrich held on to five catches for Hallen, who pinched a one-wicket win at Patchway.
Old Elizabethans beat Briska by nine-wickets.
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