PAK Bristolians wrapped up a highly successful season by clinching the runners-up position with a five-wicket home triumph over champions Frenchay in the Senior Division of the Martin Berrill Sports Bristol & District League.
The visitors were pegged back to 108 after electing to bat, losing their last five wickets for just 12 runs as left-arm seamer Abdul Sami (4-6 from 4.4 overs) found a testing line and length.
Pak Bristolians, who had already won the Tony Hitch Cup and were beaten finalists in the Gloucestershire Trophy, were themselves struggling at 8-3 and then 29-4 but dug in to seal the points thanks to Syed Ammar Hasan’s unbeaten 45.
It was also an excellent day for Pak Bristolians 2nds who finished top of Division Seven East after a 221-run win away to Frenchay 3rds, and particularly Suleman Butt.
The opener crashed 209 – the highest individual score this summer throughout the league – and, in the process, finished the season as its leading run scorer, on a tally of 1,072 … 34 clear of nearest rival Martin Millard, of Durham & Hinton.
Back in the Senior Division, third place went to Bristol Pakistanis who trumped Coalpit Heath by 29 runs, recovering from 96-7 to reach 210-9 thanks to Rizwan Hussain (58 not) and Raja Arbaz Hussain (46) before Sohail Javed grabbed 4-35 from nine.
Centenary celebrating Frampton Cotterell finished second in Division Three behind champions Bristol 3rds following a 64-run success away to Frenchay 2nds.
Brendan Foreman’s unbeaten 76 saw the visitors reach 237-7 before Frampton called on a total of ten bowlers to bank the points.
Carsons & Mangotsfield started the day eight points behind Division Five leaders Bristol Aces but a four-wicket home victory over their rivals sealed the silverware.
Anas Ashfaq thumped 85 for Aces who reached 228-9 while opener Kieran Gallagher led the Carsons reply with an unbeaten 101, supported by George Farmer’s 42 as Ashfaq followed up with 3-56.
Aces ended the campaign in second place with Pucklechurch finishing third following a 167-run defeat of Abbots Leigh, captain Ryan Watts cracking 88 and Nathan Warren taking 4-34.
Bristol Pakistanis 2nds were in fine form, chasing down a challenge of 210 away to Brislington 3rds for a ten-wicket victory in Division Six.
Rashid Mahmood (104) and captain Mohammad Harris (102) made light work of the job in hand after Rashid had earlier taken 5-17 from six.
It was an outstanding day also for Stoke Bishop who made it 18 from 18 in Division Seven West, overcoming Wrington by 138 runs, opener Henry Coombes hitting 106.
GOLDEN Hill were in the mood to celebrate the end of the Bristol & District League campaign after a grand total of five teams secured either first or second place.
The 2nds finished top of Division One with the 3rds and 4ths also winning the Division Six and Seven North titles, respectively.
Success continued with the 5ths and 6ths ending as runners-up in Division Eight North and Nine West … and all after the first XI once again secured second place in WEPL Premier Two Bristol/Somerset.