It was a pleasure to see Ian Keitch celebrate a significant birthday at the Deane on Saturday afternoon. Predictably, brother Tony was there, and various tales of the brothers’ cricketing exploits were recounted.

There are the Keitchs, there are the Warrens, the Woodmans, the Mellors, the Squires, the Salts, the Nelsons, the Pontes and many others for whom the Deane has been the club of choice for the whole family. However, no one could recall a day when three family members had such an impact.

Jack Blackwell may have bowled a better spell for his school or his county but those watching the top of the table clash v. Lansdown were unanimous in their marking this as his best yet for the Deane 1st XI.

Lansdown are a very good side with no obvious weaknesses, and they brought their strongest side to the Convent Field. The Deane’s innings contained only one partnership of consequence – 56 between Jack Leach (32) and Nick Pepper (33) – as the home side were dismissed in the 32th over for a very disappointing 139.

The fact that it took Lansdown nearly 47 overs to chase down that meagre total is testimony to the quality of the Deane bowling and fielding. Ed Mellor and Sam Burgess each took an amazing slip catch and Tenny Harlow made his catch at point look easy.

Yet amongst many fine performances Jack Blackwell stood out. In his two spells he dismissed four of the opposition’s top five batters for just 22 runs, managing the unusual statistic of being even more economical than Jason Squire.

Lansdown now need just one more win to secure promotion and few who saw them would bet against them.

Reports from the other Deane sides highlighted good individual performances but little team success. Alex Chaffey took 4 wickets in a losing cause as the 2nds played away at North Petherton. Max Smyth-Lees was in the runs again for the 3rds but his 87 was not enough to avoid defeat at Shaftesbury Road and the 4ths were soundly beaten by Wembdon 3rds despite Skipper Neil Lane’s 4-18 and, in a rare Saturday appearance, a belligerent 79 from Ben Osborne.

The 5ths didn’t get a game as the outfield was considered too dangerous so the final report on Saturday evening came from the Deane 6ths captain, Dave Webb.

Joel Baker’s 80 not out may have been the backbone of the innings, but it was the performance of the Deane number 10 that drew attention. Albie Blackwell came in with his side in some trouble at 108-8. He was bowled for 50 with the score on 184 and he could boast a strike rate of 156.

He couldn’t achieve the same success when he opened the bowling with his sister, Lily, and it was she, the third member of the Blackwell family who now took centre stage as she went one better than brother Jack in taking 5-21.

Jack Kilty enjoyed his customary success with the ball taking the other five wickets for just 3 runs as the Deane achieved an overwhelming victory.

Next Saturday sees the Deane 2nds at home at the Convent Field in a game that has huge consequences. It could be the game that keeps the Deane in prime position to secure promotion, and it could be the game that gives them refreshed local bragging rights over St Andrew’s.

The Deane 1st XI travel to north Bristol to play Golden Hill. With promotion now unlikely, the challenge now is to secure second place. That will be no mean achievement for a side that was only promoted to this league this season.

Dave Smith.