A THORNBURY President’s XI travelled to Downend on a glorious day of sunshine for the 2nd leg of the WG Centenary match. 
Following the washout at Thornbury last Sunday, the match was now reduced to a one innings game of 40 overs.
Losing the toss, skipper Richard Hawkins was asked to field on a good batting surface. Downend immediately took a liking to the opening pair of the Lezar brothers, Luke and Dan.
There was 27 scored off the first two overs and the score reached 71 off six overs before Dan had opener Matt Crawford LBW for 43 off just 23 balls. 
Hawkins replaced Luke Lezar to stop the carnage but he was smashed for 20 in his third over by Notton, bringing back painful memories at Swindon a few weeks earlier. 
The second wicket came in Jack Summerfield’s 1st over when a fantastic diving catch from Ali Dury dismissed opener Ralph for 26. 
At 120 - 2 from 14 overs, Downend looked well placed to post a huge total in excess of three hundred on a small ground. 
But then came the Thornbury fight back as six wickets fell in six overs for just 28 runs. 
Jack Summerfield picked up two including a daisy cutter that clipped the base of the stump, Danny Slade one and Marcus Wormwell two including a run out. 
Downend were now reduced to 147-8 with 20 overs remaining. But now it was Downend’ s turn to fight back helped with some comical fielding as the false beards somehow caused impaired vision, with Ali Dury, Jack and Sam Summerfield all dropping regulation catches. 
Downend took advantage of this generosity as they dug in and reached 288 all out in the final over with Ishaq the final batsman to fall for 59 caught by Jack off Rich Trotman's final over.
Pick of the bowlers were Jack Summerfield 3-50 from seven and Marcus Wormwell 2-23 from four.
Father and son Richard and Max Trotman opened Thornbury's reply but Max chipped a full toss to mid-on without scoring. Ali Dury joined Trots at the crease and steadily set a foundation putting on 65 for the next wicket before Dury fell LBW to Liston for 27. 
Stu Mcwhinnie was bowled by Liston for a duck and Rich Trotman smashed a half volley to mid-off when he looked set for a big score for 31. 
With the score at 81-4, Sam Summerfield joined Danny Slade with Thornbury in need of a partnership, the pair responded in magnificent fashion as they both hit fifty and subsequently retired with the score now on 183 -4 with 13 overs remaining. 
In a match of contrasting fortunes Thornbury's lower order faltered with Marcus Wormwell (8), Dan Lezar (7), Jack Summerfield (6) and Luke Lezar (4). With last man Harry Hawkins at the crease, Danny Slade came back in with Thornbury requiring 75 from seven overs with two wickets in hand. 
The crowd watched in awe as Danny Slade took aim and dispatched all before him including four consecutive sixes off the bowling of Griffiths. 
He eventually fell for 112 with his second 50 of just 17 balls. 
With only five needed Sam Summerfield stuck a leg out for four leg byes and Thornbury won by one wicket with just over two overs left. 
A great game played in a fantastic spirit and a fitting tribute to the most famous cricketer of all time.