WEPL Premier One

Bridgwater 182-8 beat Taunton Deane 181 by two wickets

BRIDGWATER survived a rare appearance in club cricket by Somerset’s Alfonso Thomas to snatch a dramatic final over win over Taunton Deane on Saturday.

Instead, it was Bridgwater’s very own county star, Robbie Montgomery, who set up this nail biting win with 4-24 from nine overs – as Deane were bowled out for just 181 inside 45 overs.

Chris Gange led the Bridgwater reply with 86 from 135 balls, while Mitch Windsor added 36 – but it was left to Chris Skidmore (9no) and Chris Singleton (11no) to see their side home with just three balls to spare.

Bridgwater made early inroads courtesy of Gloucestershire all-rounder Montgomery.

Alfonso Thomas made just 14 before he was bowled by Daniel van der Berg (1-26), but Alistair Warren (45) and Jack Fraser (47) rebuilt the innings with a stand of 88 for the fifth wicket.

The pair were dismissed in quick succession by the spin of Mitch Windsor (2-37) – and the next four wickets fell for just 23 runs to end the Deane innings.

The Bridgwater reply started poorly with Thomas bowling Merv Hallaran with the third ball of the innings - but a 76-run stand between Gange and Windsor repaired the damage.

The latter was out for 36, as he became one of Dominic McFarlane’s four wickets, but Gange stood firm to edge Bridgwater closer to their target.

He was eventually dismissed with his side still 21 runs short of victory, but Skidmore and Singleton held their nerve to send Bridgwater to the top of WEPL Premier One.