WEPL Premier 2 Bristol/Somerset
Taunton 117 beat Shapwick & Polden 115 by 2 runs

SHAPWICK ended on the wrong end of a tense, low-scoring match against visitors Taunton on Saturday.

Putting the visitors in looked to be a smart move by skipper Sam Edmunds as his strike bowlers caused havoc among the Taunton line-up.

Harry Woolway ran through the visitors’ top order, taking four of the first six in a lively spell.

Fionn Hand took 2-20 off his nine overs and Taunton were floundering on 47-6.

However, Josh Kelly saved the innings with a well-judged 48, mixing aggression with fine judgment and pushing his side over the 100-mark.

Woolway ended with 4-46 off nine, Archie Dunning 2-13 off seven and Wayne Spencer 2-15 off six as they set up what looked like a probable win.

Steve Tinnion opened with 36 and Shapwick motored along to 75-3.

Enter Max Toohey - he halted Shapwick’s progress and ended with 4-9 off six match-winning overs as the home side’s last four batsmen registered just one run between them.

As a result, Shapwick were bowled out two short of Taunton’s total and plunged to third-from-bottom in the table.

Blake Coburn closed with 4-29 off ten and Ben Phillips and Justin Burke took one apiece.

On Saturday, Shapwick travel to mid-table Taunton Deane (12.30pm).

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WEPL Somerset Division
North Perrott 127-2 beat North Petherton 126 by 8 wkts

DEPLETED North Petherton were well beaten by second-placed North Perrott after an indifferent batting performance.

The top order folded as Stacy Hawes’ opening burst claimed 3-34 before Will Pope rescued the innings with a stubborn, unbeaten 46.

Lewis Irish added 23 before he became the first of Somerset Women bowler Lorraine Szczepanski’s victims.

She continued her excellent season by taking 4-12 off five impressive overs of leg-spin.

Joshua Marshall-James added 2-54 and Gordon Whorlow 1-22 to restrict North Petherton to 126 all out in just 30 overs.

Whorlow and George Retter put on 44 for the first wicket to set up the victory before Will Pope took the wicket of Retter.

Pope also engineered the wicket of Troy Johnson for 10, running him out at 64-2.

But that was the last success for Pethy as Whorlow continued to an unbeaten 51 and Alex Eckland reached an unbeaten 24 as Perrott coasted to an eight-wicket win off just 22.4 overs.

Pethy, depleted by football call-ups, entertain improved Staplegrove on Saturday (12.30pm start).

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WEPL Somerset Division
Weston-super-Mare 1st XI 302-2 beat Wembdon 1st XI 167 by 135 runs

ON Saturday, Wembdon made their second away trip in as many weeks, this time to division leaders and almost certain champions Weston-super-Mare, writes Dan Bingham.

Wembdon did manage to win the toss and elected to bowl first but Weston were eventual winners with their strong side showing their class.

Brendan Pope and Matt Hubbard opened the bowling for Wembdon and returned economical figures.

Simon Green and Andy Fear, batting patiently for Weston, were also relatively untroubled.

Forty-three runs came from the first 12 overs, at which stage Wembdon introduced Dan Bingham and the spin of Josh Henry.

The change of bowling did create a series of half-chances but all just looped over the fielders’ heads to add to Wembdon’s frustration.

Following the drinks break, at which point Weston had reached 108 without loss from 25 overs, there was clear intent to up the run rate.

This did lead to a breakthrough for Wembdon as Green (48) was caught by Daniel James-Stone in the deep off Bingham.

However, county player Ryan Davies strode to the wicket and, with Bingham and Henry bowled out, he made the most of some loose bowling from part-time bowlers Aaron Rees and Liam Pigden.

From 32 overs Weston were 140-1 but Fear rotated the strike well and made his way to a solid 106, while Davies’ six 4s and five 6s in the final 18 overs had Weston scoring at nine runs an over.

A late wicket for Hubbard, having Fear caught in the deep by Rees, meant his efforts didn’t go unrewarded.

For the final five overs of the innings, Wembdon had to contend with bowling against Davies and fellow county star Peter Trego and, needless to say, they excelled, blasting 45 from 30 balls.

Davies struck 104no from 74 deliveries and Trego 25no from 16 balls, and Weston posted a formidable 302-2 from 50 overs.

After tea, Wembdon opened up with Bingham and Jae Stone against the seam attack of Trego and Chris Davidson.

Accurate bowling meant keeping up with the run rate became nigh on impossible, and Stone went first following a good catch from a mistimed pull, to give Trego his first of three wickets.

The 14-year-old Tom Brooks joined Bingham, and the pair batted through together to the 15th over.

Despite both batters being unchallenged, it was time to increase the scoring, from 29-1 from 15 overs.

The introduction of spin drew Bingham (19) out of his crease looking to hit long . . . but he was deceived by the turn and was bowled.

Wickets fell steadily for the next 10 overs as Wembdon crawled to 65-6 from 25 overs.

From the first half, Brooks – albeit struggling to score – looked solid for his 45 balls, while Pigden hit several boundaries in a quick-fire 20.

The seventh-wicket partnership between Billy Vickery and Henry (25) was the best of the innings, lasting 20 overs and adding 78 runs.

The big runs came from Vickery, after being absent for two games, as he struck a solid 57 runs and took Wembdon past 150 in the process.

From the final five overs, Wembdon looked to pick up extra points, targeting 175 but, in the process, lost their final three wickets for 20 runs.

They were dismissed on the penultimate delivery for 167.

Wembdon remain in third and they are in action at home on Saturday, versus Minehead (12.30pm start).