Cleeve came up agonisingly short against Almondsbury in their Bristol & District League Division Two opener on Saturday.

The visitors chose to bat first and attacked new-ball duo Andy Barnsley and Ben Williams, before Connor Hance managed to stem the flow of runs somewhat.

Barnsley made the breakthrough thanks to a catch from captain Tom Carpenter with the score on 73, with James Cole next to strike with the total having moved to 128.

Cole finished with 3-28 from his eight overs, while left-arm wrist spinner Sam Williams (1-20) also struck as Barnsley took a catch in the deep.

Dan Jones (2-25) bowled tidily before Ben Williams (1-36) returned to take a wicket as brother Sam held on to an outfield catch and Barnsley produced a run out from the last ball as the visitors reached 192.

Cole gloved a short ball to the keeper in reply, but Sam Williams added 83 with James Ball, who succumbed in similar fashion for a solid 39.

Tom Birt followed quickly, but Barnsley (21) looked assured before being caught and Mitch Want lasted just two balls.

Veteran Phil Gostlin joined Williams, who posted a faultless half century before playing across the line to be bowled for 57 to make it 152-6.

That left Cleeve needing 41 from the last 10 overs and Gostlin blasted five fours in his 29 before falling to leave them 187-7.

Sadly, Hance (1), Ben Williams (0) and Tom Carpenter (3) all perished leaving Dan Jones unbeaten on 10 with just two balls in a one-run defeat ahead of a trip to Hampset.

The seconds beat Lodway by 32 runs in Division 10, after piling up 240-5 from 40 overs.

North Somerset Times: Andy Martin hit an unbeaten 103 as Cleeve seconds beat LodwayAndy Martin hit an unbeaten 103 as Cleeve seconds beat Lodway (Image: Cleeve CC)

Captain George Parsons departed without troubling the scorers but Dan Dixon scored a well-worked half-century alongside Andy Martin, with Will Grubb adding 53.

Jamie Dance was bowled first ball and keeper Carey Elswood added 12 before leaving the same way, but Martin carried his bat to finish unbeaten on 103 alongside Ellis Turner (5 not out).

Lodway’s openers left Dance (0-20) and Josh Geal (0-62) unrewarded before centurion Martin (1-18) made the breakthrough.

And young Alfie Turner (1-8) was next to strike, before veteran Kelston Crew (3-23), Grubb (1-19) and Terry Horler (2-22) combined to leave Lodway on 208 and seal victory ahead of a home date with Winterbourne fourths.

Carey Elswood led the Sunday side against Hambrook, who posted 211 off their 40 overs, with three wickets for Alfie Parsons, two for Turner and one each for Tom Brown, Tom Redding and Stuart Williams.

Cleeve rarely looked like getting close in reply, ending on 156 all out, with Turner (44), Alex Nichols (36) and Ben Miller (14) their leading run-getters.