The much-anticipated English challenge did not materialise this week as world number three Lee Westwood (71) ended eight over, Paul Casey (78) was 13 over and Luke Donald (78) finished 14 over alongside Ian Poulter, who also took 78.
But when Luke Arscott sliced over from close-range, Bristol took a healthy 20-13 lead, though Barnes, on for the injured Strange, missed an easy conversion.