AT the time of writing, the Carsons & Mangotsfield 1st XI remain the club’s strongest promotion hope, sitting firmly in the mix near the top despite a few bumps along the way.
Back-to-back wins over Frampton Cotterell and Old Bristolians Westbury have steadied things at the right moment.
With only 17 points separating the top four, the next couple of weeks will decide who breaks into those top two spots heading into the final weekend. One to watch as the season tightens.
The T20 side have won Division 1 East in the Bristol Midweek League, sealing it with a thumping win over Rockhampton.
George Sutton’s 3-24 kept them to 135, and the chase was handled with authority, Tom King’s rapid 52 guiding the side home with four overs to spare.
The Premier Division will be new territory and a genuine test, but it’s another clear marker of the club’s upward stride.
The 4th XI produced one of the season’s most dramatic finishes, edging local rivals Pucklechurch by a single run.
Tom Carter’s maiden 50* set the tone, supported by Del Capel’s 32, before Luca Talbot (3-23) swung momentum. With one run in it, Steve Edwards (4-27) held his nerve, taking the final wicket with the last ball to spark jubilant scenes.
A perfect advert for the 4s, that bridge between junior cricket and the longer league format.
The Sunday side continues to flourish, leaning on the club’s junior talent. A standout win over Clevedon featured young Dan Cook’s (98) maiden senior fifty, followed by victory over North Bristol, where juniors claimed all ten wickets.
Edward Barr and George Clatworthy took three each, Stanley Bater and Max Holbrook two apiece, before Sutton (72) and Farmer (59*) steered the chase with their junior partners.
The women’s softball team have made an encouraging start, four games in with a first win and narrow defeats showing real promise. Winter training plans are forming, and new players are warmly welcomed.
Finally, the under-13s capped a superb season by winning their division in the Bristol Youth Cricket League.
Seven wins from eight, seven of the league’s top ten wicket-takers — including the entire top four — and three of the top six run-scorers underline a remarkable effort from the players and coaches.
With several already stepping into adult cricket, the future at CMCC looks wonderfully bright.
If you’re looking for a friendly, all-ability cricket home, drop us a line at info.carsonsandmangotsfield@gmail.com or connect with us on social media.
Jake Lane